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Allie M. Felker 



I TOYOW 

5Q0K 0F H8L1MY REG1TAT10NS 



Children of the School, the Home, 
and the Church. 



SELECTED AND ARRANGED BY 

ALLIE M. FELKER. 




THE WHITAKER & RAY COMPANY 

(incorporated) 

San Francisco, Cal. 



TWO COPIES RECEIVED, 

Libra ' 

Office of 

I 

Register of Copy 



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53740 

Copyrighted, 1899, 
By Allie M. Felkeb. 






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T0Y0N 



Welcome, holly-berries, 

In Christmas canyons grown! 
Friends in California, 

Hang up the red toyon! 
Wreathe your halls and windows, 

Let Christmas cheer be known! 
Friends in California, 

Hang up the red toyon! 



Dedication. 
• • • 

To L, M. W., R. F. E., and the children of California 
this book is lovingly dedicated. 

—A. M. F. 



PREFACE. 



During the past ten years, I have received many letters from 
teachers asking me to give suggestions for holiday entertain- 
ments. Bequests from little people are also constantly coming 
for "pieces" which they once recited. A number of these 
selections have been taken from Primary Education and The 
Popular Educator, and I am grateful to the Educational Pub- 
lishing Company for permission to use them. I am also grate- 
ful to the New England Publishing Company for permission 
to publish selections which have appeared from time to time 
in the American Primary Teacher and the Journal of Educa- 
tion. To Intelligence, the Western Journal of Education and 
the 8 an Jose Mercury, thanks are also due. To friends who 
have offered encouragement in the way of contributions and 
particularly to those who have assisted in revising manuscript, 
and preparing it for publication, I am deeply grateful. 

The selections will speak for themselves. "The Seven Little 

Sisters," "Ten Little Indians," and "The Honolulu Children," 

are merely suggestive. That children may learn to love history, 

literature, and Nature in her varied aspects, the dramatic 

(5) 



instinct must be cultivated. That they may understand peo- 
ple, they must imitate; that they may comprehend stories, they 
must dramatize; that they may develop true ideals, they must 
create. 

Entertainments which are the result of actual school work — 
those developed by the pupils under the direction of a live 
teacher — are educational in character. I trust that the selec- 
tions in this book will prove helpful in working up such enter- 
tainments. 

That a recognition of old friends in the following "pieces" 
may make them an unfailing source of pleasure to children, 
especially to little friends in California, is the wish of the one 
who sends them forth. 



CONTENTS. 



Christmas Selections: 

Christmas Bells . . . : Tennyson 11 

On the Morn of Christ's Nativity Milton 12 

The Blessed Story W. Chaterton Dix 13 

Christmas Bells Longfellow 14 

Why? Eugene Field 15 

Christmas Bells Selected 16 

Christmas Bells Selected 17 

A Merry Christmas and a Glad New Year. 

George Cooper 18 

On Christmas Day George Washington 19 

The Prince of Peace Lowell 19 

His Birthday Lucy Larcom 20 

This Happy Day Phoebe Cary 21 

The Star of Bethlehem William Cullen Bryant 21 

Bethlehem Phillips Brooks 22 

Palestine Whittier 23 

Under the Holly Bough Charles Mackey 23 

A Hymn to the Nativity Ben Johnson 24 

Love Schiller 24 

A Christmas Cross Willis Boyd Allen 25 

Recitation for the Little Folks Selected 25 

A Christmas Song J. G. Holland 26 

The King of Kings Dr. Isaac Watts 26 

Land 0' Dreams From "Primary Education" 28 

The First Christmas Selected 28 

How I Wish I Knew! Selected 29 

Christmas Song Emilie Poulsson 30 

The Christ-Child .Mrs. F. Spangenberg 32 

Mistletoe A. M. F. 32 

Mistletoe Frances R. Arnold 33 

Under the Mistletoe Selected 34 

December Longfellow 35 

Good News Selected 36 

(7) 



8 CONTENTS 

Christmas Selections — Continued: 

The Little Fir-Trees Evaleen Steen 37 

The Baby Fir Susan Coolidge 38 

"Quite Like a Stocking" Thomas Bailey Aldrich 39 

A Secret Mrs. G. M. Howard 40 

Bird's Christmas .Celia Thaxter 42 

Christmas Eve Mary Mapes Dodge 43 

Holly From "Nature in Verse" 43 

Christmas at Sea Eobert Louis Stevenson 45 

Christmas in the Olden Time Sir Walter Scott 45 

Kahawaii's Christmas Letitia Mackay-Walker 47 

In the Garden Grace Duffield Goodwin 51 

A Christmas Wish Selected 52 

A Christmas Wish 53 

A Schemer Edgar L. Warren 54 

A Telephone Message Selected 54 

Little Barbara's Hymn , Selected 55 

Christmas Treasures Eugene Field 59 

Jest 'Fore Christmas Eugene Field 59 

A Christmas Story Charles H. Allen 61 

Hang Up the Baby's Stocking Selected 63 

Two Little Stockings Selected 64 

Annie's and Willie's Prayer Sophia E. Snow 66 

Ltfo Santa Claus. Selected 72 

Christmas Eve at the North Pole Selected 74 

The Christmas Dream Eben E. Kexford 75 

When Santa Claus Comes Elizabeth Sill 76 

Mrs. Santa Claus Selected 77 

Santa Claus and the Mouse Emilie Poulsson 80 

Who Fills the Stockings? From "Wide Awake" 81 

What the Mother Goose Children Want for Christmas 

L. F. Armitage 82 

Christmas Morning From "St. Nicholas" 84 

The Mahogany Tree Thackeray 85 

The Christmas Spies From "Little Folks" 86 

Baby's Belief Charles H. Lugrin 87 

The Doll's Christmas From "Popular Educator" 87 

Christmas Jingles E. S. W. 88 

A Christmas Jingle Susie M. Best 89 

What Willie Wants Selected 90 



Christmas Selections — Continued: 

Christmas Song Selected 90 

Santa's Message G. W. B. 91 

Shoe or Stocking Edith M. Thomas 92 

Santa's Coming! A. J. B. 92 

Christmas Greeting G. W. B. 93 

What Christmas Brings Selected 94 

When I am Big From "Primary School" 94 

Little Two-Years F. E. Fryatt 95 

Brownie Song Allie M. Felker 96 

Some of the Lessons of Christmas Day 

. . Charles H. Allen 98 

New Year Selections: 

The New Year Selected 101 

The New Year Violet Fuller 102 

Eing! From "Primary Education" 103 

January H. H. 103 

A New Year Song Laura E. Eichards 104 

Dance of the Months. Selected 105 

The Jolly Young King Mary D. Brine 106 

It's Coming Selected 107 

Eing Out, Wild Bells! Tennyson 107 

Miscellaneous: 

The Seven Little Sisters * 108 

The Honolulu Children 115 

Thanksgiving Selections: 

First Thanksgiving Proclamation 141 

Thanksgiving Day Henry Ward Beecher 142 

Thanksgiving Selected 143 

The First Thanksgiving Selected 143 

The First Thanksgiving Day Margaret J. Preston 144 

Thanksgiving Will Carleton 146 

Thanksgiving Day Selected 147 

November Selected 148 

The Festival Month From "Youth's Companion" 149 

Goodbye, Little Flowers! Selected 149 

November .William Cullen Bryant 150 



10 CONTENTS. 

Thanksgiving Selections — Continued: 

Chrysanthemums Selected 150 

Down to Sleep . H. H. 151 

November Party Selected 152 

We Thank Thee Kalph Waldo Emerson 153 

We Thank Thee Margaret Sangster 154 

Praise God . . Selected 155 

Thanksgiving "Housekeeper" 156 

Pilgrims Lowell 157 

A Thanksgiving Prayer Selected 157 

Thanksgiving Hymn Selected 158 

Thanksgiving Howells 158 

To Whom Shall We Give Thanks? Anon. 161 

Harvest Hymn Whittier 161 

The Pumpkin Whittier 162 

A Thanksgiving Treasure Cora J. Alherger 164 

Thanksgiving Joys Selected 165 

His Golden Corn Selected 166 

Thanksgiving Day L. M. Childs 167 

Grandma's Pumpkin Pies Selected 167 

Out for a Walk L. F. Armitage 168 

A Boy's Opinion Emma C. Dowd 169 

Thanksgiving Letter Ed. Gazette 170 

Recitation for the Little Folks Selected 171 

Which? Selected 172 

Thanksgiving Selected 172 

John White's Thanksgiving. Selected 173 

That Things are No Worse, Sire! 

Helen Hunt Jackson 175 

The Puritan's Thanksgiving Selected 176 

Among the Apples T. S. Collier 180 

■The Cat's Thanksgiving Soliloquy. . . .L. F. Armitage 181 

The Orphan Turkeys Mrs. H. E. Jenkins 183 

Little Nut People Selected 184 

The Little Pilgrim Maid , ,. , , Selected 186 

Elsie's Thanksgiving .Margaret E. Sangster 187 

A Mother GooseEntertainment ........ .Elizabeth Lloyd 189 

Ten Little Indians 199 



TOYON. 

A Book of Holiday Recitations. 



CHEISTMAS BELLS. 

The time draws near the birth of Christ: 
The moon is hid; the night is still; 
The Christmas bells from hill to hill 

Answer each other in the mist. 

Four voices of four hamlets round, 
From far and near, on mead and moor, 
Swell out and fall as if a door 

Were shut between me and the sound. 

Each voice four changes on the wind, 
That now dilate, and now decrease, 
Peace and good will, good will and peace, 

Peace and good will to all mankind. 
(11) 



12 TOYON. 

This year I slept and woke with pain, 
I almost wished no more to wake, 
And that my hold on life would break 

Before I heard those hells again. 

But they my troubled spirit rule, 
For they controlled me when a hoy; 
They bring me sorrow touched with joy, 

The merry, merry bells of Yule. 

— Tennyson. 



ON THE MOKNING OF CHEIST'S NATIVITY. 

(Extracts from the Hymn.) 
It was the winter wild, 
While the Heaven-born child 
All meanly wrapped in the rude manger lies; 
Nature in awe to him 
Had doffed her gaudy trim, 
With her great Master to sympathize. 

But peaceful was the night 
Wherein the Prince of Light 
His reign of peace upon the earth began; 
The winds with wonder whist 
Smoothly the waters kissed, 
Whispering new joys to the mild ocean, 
Who now hath quite forgot to rave, 
While birds of calm sit brooding on the charmed wave. 
• * # * * * * * 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 13 

Eing out, ye crystal spheres, 
Once bless our human ears 

(If ye have power to touch our senses so), 
And let your silver chime 
Move in melodious time 
And let the base of Heaven's deep organ blow, 
And with your nine-fold harmony 
Make up full consort to the angelic symphony. 

— Milton. 



THE BLESSED STOKY. 

Like charms to lull the dying year, 

The Christmas bells are pealing; 

And hark! once more from yonder sky 

The angel's song is stealing. 

For eighteen hundred years and more 

That strain of peace and glory 

Has come to glad the heart of men, 

To tell the blessed story. 

— W. Chaterton Dix. 



14 TOTON. 



CHEISTMAS BELLS. 

I heard the bells on Christmas day 
Their old, familiar carols play — 

And, wild and sweet, 

The words repeat — 
Of peace on earth, good will to men. 

And thought how, as the day had come, 
The belfries of all Christendom 

Had tolled along 

The unbroken song — 
Of peace on earth, good will to men. 

Then, from the black, accursed mouth, 
The cannon thundered in the South; 

And with the sound 

The carols drowned 
Of peace on earth, good will to men — 

And in despair I bowed my head; 
There is no peace on earth, I said, 

For hate is strong 

And mocks the song 
Of peace on earth, good will to men. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 15 

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep — 
God is not dead — nor doth he sleep! 

The Wrong shall fail, 

The Eight prevail — 
With peace on earth, good will to men. 

— Longfellow. 



WHY? 

Why do bells for Christmas ring? 
Why do little children sing? 
Once a lovely, shining star, 
Seen by shepherds from afar, 
Gently moved until its light 
Made a manger-cradle bright. 
There a darling Baby lay, 
Pillowed soft upon the hay; 
And its mother sang and smiled, 
'This is Christ, the holy Child." 
Therefore, bells for Christmas ring, 
Therefore, little children, sing! 

— Eugene Field. 



16 TOTON. 



CHRISTMAS BELLS. 

Those Christmas bells as sweetly chime 

As on the day when first they rung 
So merrily in the olden time, 

And far and wide their music flung, 
Shaking the tall, gray, ivied tower, 
With all their deep, melodious power, 
They still proclaim to every ear 
Old Christmas comes but once a year. 

Then he came singing through the woods, 
And plucked the holly bright and green; 
Pulled here and there the ivy buds; 

Was sometimes hidden, sometimes seen, 
Half-buried 'neath the mistletoe, 
His long beard hung with flakes of snow, 
And still he ever carolled clear, 
Old Christmas comes but once a year. 

The bells which usher in the morn 
Have ever drawn my mind away 
To Bethlehem, where Christ was born, 
And the low stable where He lay, 
In which the large-eyed oxen fed; 
To Mary, bowing low her head, 
And looking down with love sincere; 
For Christmas comes but once a year. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 17 

Upon a gayer, happier scene 

Never did holly berries peer, 
Or ivy throw its trailing green 

On brighter forms than there are here; 
Nor Christmas in his old armchair 
Smile upon lips or brows more fair. 
Then let us sing amid our cheer, 
Old Christmas still comes once a year. 

— Selected. 



CHRISTMAS BELLS. 

bells! sweet bells! across the years 
Half-gay, half-sad, your chiming; 

Old joys ye tell, old sorrows swell 
Throughout your tender rhyming. 

happy bells! through coming years, 

We hear, in your glad sending, 
The message still of peace, good will — 
All jarring discords blending. 

— Selected. 
2 



18 TOYON. 



A MEEEY CHEISTMAS AND A GLAD NEW YEAE. 

Oh, bells that chime your sweetest! 

Oh, world of glistening white! 
Oh, breezes blithely bringing 

A message of- delight! 
From leafless hill and valley 

But one refrain I hear: 
"A merry, merry Christmas 

And a glad New Year!" 

From humble home and palace 

The kindly voice is breathed, 
From forest arch and pillar, 

And meadows snowy wreathed, 
An echo from the angels, 

A paean of good cheer: 
Hark! "Merry, merry Christmas 

And a glad New Year!" 

Oh, light of heavenly gladness 

That falls upon the earth! 
Oh, rapture of thanksgiving 

That tells the Savior's birth! 
The golden links of kindness 

Bring heart to heart more near, 
With a "Merry, merry Christmas 

And a glad New Year!" 

— George Cooper, in "Golden Days." 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 19 



ON CHRISTMAS DAY. 

Assist me, Muse divine! to sing the morn 
On which the Savior of mankind was born; 
But, oh! what numbers to the theme can rise? 
Unless kind angels aid me from the skies! 

— George Washington. 



THE PRINCE OF PEACE. 

"What means this glory round our feet," 

The Magi mused, "more bright than morn?" 
And voices chanted clear and sweet, 
"To-day the Prince of Peace is born." 

"What means that star?" the shepherds said, 
"That brightens through the rocky glen?" 
And angels, answering overhead, 

Sang, "Peace on earth, good will to men." 

'Tis eighteen hundred years and more 
Since those sweet oracles were dumb; 

We wait for Him, like them of yore; 
Alas, He seems so slow to come! 



20 TOYON. 

But it. was said, in words of gold, 

No lime or sorrow o'er shall dim, 
That little children might be bold, 

In perfect trust to come to Ilim. 

All round about our feet shall shine 

A light like that the wise men saw, 
II' we our loving wills incline 

To that sweet Life which is the Law. 

So shall we learn to understand 

The simple faith of shepherds then, 
And, clasping kindly hand in hand. 

Sing "Peace on earth, good will to men." 

And they who do their souls no wrong, 

But keep at eve the faith of morn, 
Shall daily hear the angels sing, 
"To-day the Prince of Peace is born!" 

— Lowell. 

IMS BIRTHDAY. 

II, is Mis birthday, His, the only one, 
"Who ever made life's meaning wholly plain; 
Dawn is Tie to our night! No longer vain 
And purposeless our onward struggling years. 
The hope lie bringeth overlloods our fears, 
Now do we know flic Father through the Son. 
Earth, <) Heart, be glad on this glad morn! 
(J od is with man! Life, life to us is born! 

— Lucy Larcom. ("Popular Educator.") 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 21 

THIS HAPPY DAY. 

This happy day, whose risen sun 

Shall set not through eternity, 
This holy day, when Christ, the Lord, 

Took on Him our humanity. 

For little children everywhere 

A joyous season still we make, 
We hring our precious gifts to them, 

Even for the dear Child Jesus' sake. 

— Phoebe Cary. ("Popular Educator.") 

THE STAE OF BETHLEHEM. 

As shadows cast by cloud and sun 

Flit o'er the summer grass, 
So, in Thy sight, Almighty One! 

Earth's generations pass. 

And while the years, an endless host, 

Come pressing swiftly on, 
The brightest names that earth can boast 

Just glisten, and are gone. 



22 TOY ON. 

Yet doth the Star of Bethlehem shed 

A luster pure and sweet, 
And still it looks, as sure it led, 

To the Messiah's feet. 

And deeply at this later day 

Our hearts rejoice to see 
How children, guided by its ray, 

Come to the Savior's knee. 

0, Father, may that holy Star, 

Grow every year more bright, 
And send its glorious beam afar, 

To fill the world with light. 

— William Cullen Bryant. 



BETHLEHEM. 

little town of Bethlehem, 

How still we see thee lie! 
Above the deep and dreamless sleep 

The silent hours go by. 
Yet in thy dark street shineth 

The everlasting -light, 
The hopes and fears of all the years 

Are met in thee to-night. 
— Phillips Brooks. ("Popular Educator.") 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 



PALESTINE. 



Blest land of Judea! Thrice hallowed of song! 
Where the holiest memories, pilgrim-like, throng; 
In the shade of thy palms, by the shore of the sea, 
On the hills of thy beauty, my heart is with thee. 
With the eye of a spirit I look on that shore 
Where pilgrim and prophet have lingered before; 
With the glide of a spirit I traverse the sod 
Made bright by the steps of the angels of God. 

— Whittier. ("Popular Educator.") 



UNDEE THE HOLLY BOUGH. 

Ye who have scorned each other, 
Or injured friend or brother, 

In this fast-fading year; 
Ye who, by word or deed, 
Have made a kind heart bleed, 

Come gather here! 

Let sinned against and sinning 
Forget their strife's beginning, 

And join in friendship now; 
Be links no longer broken, 
Be sweet forgiveness spoken, 

Under the holly bough. 

— Charles Mackey. 



TOYON. 



A HYMN TO THE NATIVITY. 

I sing the birth was horn to-night, 
The Author, both of life and light; 

The angels so did sound it. 

And like the ravished shepherds said, 
Who saw the light and were afraid, 

Yet searched, and true they found it. 
"What comfort by him do we win, 
Who made himself the price of sin, 

To make us heirs of glory! 

To see this Babe all innocence; 
A Martyr born in our defense; 

Can Man forget the story? 

— Ben Johnson. 

LOVE. 

Have love! Not love alone for one; 

But man as man thy brother call; 
And scatter, like the circling sun, 

Thy charities on all. 

— Schiller. ("Popular Educator.") 

A CHRISTMAS CROSS. 

No fir-tree in the forest dark, 

But humbly bears its cross; 
No human heart in God's wide world 

But mourns its bitter loss. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 25 

Yet Christmas-tide can clothe the fir 

In splendors all unguessed, 
And bring to every suffering heart , 

Its joy, its peace, its rest. 

God rest yon, then, my gentle friend, 

And take your cross away, 
Or clothe it with radiance new 
On this glad Christmas Day. 
— Willis Boyd Allen, in "Youth's Companion." 
(From "Popular Educator.") 



RECITATION FOR THE LITTLE FOLKS. 

Little songs, all full of joy, little lips can sing; 
Little voices, soft and sweet, may their tribute bring; 
Little verses can express what we wish to tell 
Of a loving care that keeps little folks so well. 

Kindly on us little ones beams a Father's smile; 
Tender care and watchfulness guard us all the while; 
For the pleasant things we have, clothing, shelter, food, 
We would, in our happy songs, show our gratitude. 

— Selected. (In "Primary Education.") 



TOYON. 



A CHRISTMAS SONG. 



There's a song in the air! 

There's a star in the sky! 

There's a mother's deep prayer 

And a baby's low cry! 

And the star rains its fire, while the Beautiful sing, 

For the manger of Bethlehem cradles a King. 

In the light of that star 

Lie the ages impearled! 

And that song from afar 

Has swept over the world. 

Every hearth is aflame, and the Beautiful sing 

In the homes of the nations that Jesus is King. 

—J. G. Holland. (From "Popular Educator.") 



THE KING OF KINGS. 

"Shepherds, rejoice, lift up your eyes, 
And send your fears away. 
News from the region of the skies! 
Salvation's born to-day. 

"Jesus, the God whom angels fear, 
Comes down to dwell with you; 
To-day He makes His entrance here, 
But not as monarchs do. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 

"No gold, nor purple swaddling-bands, 
Nor royal shining things; 
A manger for His cradle stands, 
And holds the King of kings. 

"Go, shepherds, where the Infant lies, 

And see His humble throne: 

With tears of joy in all your eyes, 

Go, shepherd, kiss the Son!" 

Thus Gabriel sang: and straight around 
The heavenly armies throng; 

They tune their harps to lofty sound, 
And thus conclude the song: 

"Glory to God that reigns above, 
Let peace surround the earth; 

Mortals shall know their Maker's love, 
At their Eedeemer's birth." 

Lord, and shall angels have their songs, 
And men no tunes to raise? 

may we lose these useless tongues 
When they forget to praise! 

Glory to God that reigns above, 

That pitied us forlorn! 
We join to sing our Maker's love — 

For there's a Savior born. 

— Dr. Isaac Watts. 



28 TOY ON. 



LAND 0' DREAMS. 

A snowy white ship on a deep, silent sea 
Lies waiting each night just for you and for me; 
The flag on its mast like a white poppy gleams, 
As we float far away to the dim Land o' Dreams — 
As we float far away to the dear Land o' Dreams. 

A garden there lies with "Sweet Dreams" all ablow, 
Each pure as a star, and as white as the snow. 
On the night before Christmas — on that night alone — 
You may gather and keep one white dream for your own. 
You may gather and keep one white dream for your own. 
— From "Primary Education." 



THE FIEST CHRISTMAS. 

Once there lay a little baby 
Sleeping in the fragrant hay, 

And this lovely infant stranger 

Brought our first glad Christmas day. 

Though that day was long ago, 
Every child throughout the earth 

Loves to hear each year the story 
Of the gentle Christ-Child's birth. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 29 

Shepherds on the hillside, watching 

Over wandering flocks at night, 
Heard a strange, sweet strain of music, 

Saw a clear and heavenly light. 

And they seem to see the beauty 

Of the eastern star again! 
And repeat the angel's chorus, 

"Peace on earth, good will to men." 

— Selected. (In "Primary Education.") 



"Little children, can you tell, 
Do you know the story well, 
Every girl and every boy, 
"Why the angels sang for joy 
On the Christmas morning?" 

— "Primary Education." 



HOW I WISH I KNEW! 

Little stars, that twinkle in the heavens blue, 
I have often wondered if you ever knew 
How there rose one like you, leading wise old men 
From the East through Judah, down to Bethlehem? 



TOYON. 

Did you see the costly presents there they brought, 
As the three wise men the heavenly Baby sought? 
Did you see the worship tenderly they paid 
To the stranger Baby in the manger laid? 

Did you see the mothers pleading through their tears, 
For the babes that Herod slew in after years? 
Little stars, that twinkle in the heaven's blue, 
All you saw of Jesus, how I wish I knew! 

—Selected. (From "The Primary School/') 



CHKISTMAS SONG. 

While the stars of Christmas shine, 

Lighting the skies, 
Let only loving looks 

Beam from your eyes. 

While bells at Christmas sing, 

Joyous and clear, 
Speak only happy words, 

All mirth and cheer. 

Give only loving gifts, 

And in love to take; 
Gladden the poor and sad 

For love's dear sake. 

— Emilie Poulsson, in "St. Nicholas." (From 
"Primary Education.") 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 31 



THE CHKIST-CHILD. 



"Little Christ-Child, 
He was given on Christmas Day — 
In His name, let 
Children give the best they may. 

"King a merry season, 
Joyous Christmas hells. 
What a tale of wonder 
Your sweet pealing tells, 
For one little Child's sake 
All the world is glad." 

"In a manger, lying low, 
Oh, so very long ago, 
Shepherds, coming from afar, 
Following a moving star, 
Found the Christ-Child, fair and sweet, 
And they kissed His little feet — 
Found the Christ-Child, fair and sweet, 
And they kissed His little feet. 

To that manger, rough and old, 
Wise men brought their gifts of gold, 
And adored Him with glad voice, 
Saying, "He has come, rejoice!" 
And white angels, wondrous fair, 
Watched about the Infant there, 
And white angels, wondrous fair, 
Watched about the Infant there." 



TOYON. 



THE OLDEN STOEY. 

Do you know the* olden story 
Of the star that led the way, 
"When the wise men sought the Infant, 
That in Bethlehem's manger lay? 
In the east it shone so brightly, 
Then o'er Judah's hillside steep, 
Where the shepherds lay in slumber 
By their flocks of quiet sheep. 

Have you heard how angels voices 

Sang the sweet and solemn strain? 

Glory in the Highest! Glory! 

Peace on earth, good will to men! 

Every year the wondrous story 

Thrills our spirits with delight, 

And that star through all the ages 

Makes the world's dark pathway bright. 

— Mrs. F. Spangenberg. ("Primary Education.") 



MISTLETOE. 

Thou mystic plant, Druid-revered, 
Gay Christmas sprig, Saxon-endeared, 

Thou welcome, cherished parasite, 
An honored place waits thee to-night! 

—A. M. F. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 33 



MISTLETOE. 

Mistletoe clung to an old oak-tree. 
"Woo!" said the owl; "Te-woo! Te-wee! 
Christmas has come; it is naught to me. 

"Your life, my pretty one, is not secure. 
Man will discover you; then he sure 
Those that give pleasure must pain endure." 

Each berry shook on the mistletoe, 
Waxy and round and white as snow; 
Then to the owl it spoke: "Oh, no! 

"It would be cruel to take away 
Freedom and life on Christmas Day; 
Man would be willing to let me stay." 

"Woo!" said the owl; "beware of fate! 
Faith in man, I fear, is too great." 
Off he fluttered to find his mate. 

Into the darkness that very night 
Eadiant shone the Christmas light, 
Showing the owl a lovely sight. 

Under the mistletoe children gay 
Frolicked and laughed and romped in play, 
Kissed each other and ran away. 
3 



34 TOTON. 



Then said the mistletoe: "Only I 

Pleasure like this can give — and die. 

Envy my happiness. Friends, good-by." 

— Frances R. Arnold, in "Harper's Young People. 



What's the meaning of the cedar, 
Holly wreaths and mistletoe 
That today are beautifying 
Many places that we know? 

— Selected. 



TODER THE MISTLETOE. 

Grandma, in your frame on the wall, 

Beautiful maid of the long ago, 
Stately and slender, and blonde and tall, 
With the pinched-in waist and the foot so small, 

Prithee tell — for I fain would know — 
What did you on that Christmas-tide 
When great, great-grandpapa made you bride? 

Handsome and courtly and debonair, 

With his powdered queue and his Roman nose, 

As richly dark as his bride is fair, 

He rests a hand on your straight-backed chair 
To whisper to you, I suppose — 

To whisper again as in long ago 

When he kissed you under the mistletoe. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 

Say, beautiful bride in the antique dress, 
Say, beautiful bride, in your bridal white, 

Did you let him gaze on your loveliness 

Till lifted eyes did your heart confess 

As you led the dance on your wedding-night? 

Did he press your hand as he bent to say 

Sweet words — as the lovers do to-day? 

Ah! courtly groom of the vanished years, 

Beautiful bride of the days long fled, 
Dust, but dust are your hopes and fears, 
Cold your kisses and dried your tears; 

But I hang here over your head, 
A sprig of such Christmas mistletoe 
As you kissed beneath in the long ago. 

— "Good Housekeeping." 



DECEMBER. 

"With snow-white hair, 

I come the last of all. This crown of mine 
Is the holly; in my hand I bear 
The Thyrsus, tipped with fragrant cones of pine, 
I celebrate the birth of the Divine. 

My songs are carols sung at every shrine, 
Proclaiming, "Peace on earth, good will to men!" 

— Longfellow. 



TOYON. 



GOOD NEWS. 



I've heard a pleasant piece of news 

For children that are good, 

A million lovely Christmas trees 

Are waiting in the wood, 

With tapering stems 

That seek the sky, 

They grow both tall and straight, 

And houghs adorned 

With clustering cones 

The fir-trees stand and wait. 

Indeed, the green procession 

Is already marching down 

From the forests on the mountain 

To the children in the town. 

— Selected. 



THE LITTLE FIE-TEEES. 

Hey! little evergreens sturdy and strong! 

Summer and autumn-time hasten along. 

Harvest the sunbeams then, bind them in sheaves, 

Eange them and change them to tufts of green leaves. 

Delve in the mellow mould far, far below, and so, 

Little evergreens, grow! grow little evergreens, grow! 



HOLIUAY RECITATIONS. 37 

Gather all uttermost beauty, because — 

Hark, till I tell it now — how Santa Clans, 

Out of the northern land over the seas, 

Soon shall come seeking you, evergreen trees! 

Seek you with reindeer, soon, over the snow, and so, 

Little evergreens, grow! grow, little evergreens, grow! 

What if the maple flare flaunting and red? 
You shall bear waxen-white tapers instead. 
What if now otherwise birds are beguiled? 
You shall yet nestle the little Christ-Child. 
Ah the strange splendor the fir-trees shall know, and so 
Little evergreens, grow! grow, little evergreens, grow! 
— Eveleen Stein, in "St. Nicholas." (Primary Educator.") 



THE BABY FIR. 

The Christmas day was coming, the Christmas eve drew near; 
The fir-trees they were talking low, at midnight cold and clear. 
And this is what the fir-tree said, all in the pale moonlight: 
"Now which of us will chosen be to grace the holy night?" 

The tall trees and the goodly trees raised each a lofty head, 
In glad and secret confidence, though not a word they said. 
But one, the baby of the band, could not restrain a sigh: 
"You will all be approved," he said, "but oh, what chance 
have I?" 



38 TOTON. 

"I am so small, so very small, no one will mark or know 
How thick and green my needles are, how true my branches 

grow; 
Few toys or candles could I hold, but heart and will are free, 
And in my heart of hearts I know I am a Christmas tree." 

The Christmas angel hovered near; he caught the grievingword, 
And, laughing low, he hurried forth, with love and pity stirred. 
He sought and found St. Nicholas, the dear old Christmas 

saint, 
And in his fatherly, kind ear rehearsed the fir-tree's plaint. 

Saints are all-powerful, we know, so it befell that day 
That, axe on shoulder, to the grove a woodman took his way. 
One baby girl he had at home, and he went forth to find 
A little tree, as small as she, just suited to his mind. 

Oh, glad and proud the baby fir, amidst its brethren tall, 
To be thus chosen and singled out, the first among them all? 
He stretched his fragrant branches, his little heart beat fast— 1 
He was a real Christmas tree, he had his wish at last. 

One large and shining apple, with cheeks of gold, 
Six tapers and a tiny doll were all that he could hold. 
The baby laughed, the baby crowed, to see the tapers bright; 
The forest baby felt the joy, and shared in the delight. 

And when at last the tapers died, and when the baby slept, 

The little fir, in silent night, a patient vigil kept. 

Though scorched and brown its needles were, it had no heart to 

grieve; 
"I have not lived in vain," he said; "Thank God for Christmas 

Eve!" 

— Susan Coolidge, in "Primary Education." 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 



"QUITE LIKE A STOCKING." 

Just as the moon was fading 
Amid her misty rings, 
And every stocking was stuffed 
With childhood's precious things, 
Old Kris Kringle looked around 
And saw, on an elm-tree bough, 
High hung an oriole's nest, 
Lonely and empty now. 

"Quite a stocking," he laughed, 
"Hung up there on a tree! 

I didn't suppose the birds 

Expected a present from me!" 

Then old Kris Kringle, who loves 

A joke as well as the best, 

Dropped a handful of snow-flakes 

Into the oriole's empty nest. 
— Thomas Bailey Aldrich, in "Primary Educator." 



A SECRET. 

A tall fir whispered in the wood: 
"I'd tell a secret, if I could." 
Then all the dry leaves on the ground 
Whisked up and down, and all around, 
To see if they the news might hear, 
And spread it quickly far and near. 



40 TOYON. 

But the tall tree answered not the call; 
It bowed politely, that was all, 
And flung its tassels to the "breeze, 
And looked the wisest of all trees, 
But when I came beneath the tree 
It whispered, "Yes, I'll tell it thee." 

Then as I rushed in eager haste, 
And threw my arms about its waist, 
I held my breath that I might hear: 
"My child, I'm coming soon to be 
Your very own dear Christmas tree." 

— Mrs. G. M. Howard, in "Child Garden." 
(From "Primary Education.") 



BIED'S CHRISTMAS. 

In the far-off land of Norway, 

Where the winter lingers late, 

And long for the singing birds and flowers 

The little children wait; 

When at last the summer ripens 

And the harvest is gathered in, 

And food for the bleak, drear days to come 

The toiling people win; 

Through all the land the children 
In the golden fields remain 
Till their busy little hands have gleaned 
A generous sheaf of grain. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 41 

All the stalks by the reapers forgotten 
They glean to the very least, 
To save till the cold December, 
For the sparrows' Christmas feast. 

And then through the frost-locked country 
There happens a wonderful thing: 
The sparrows nock north, south, east, and west, 
For the children's offering. 

Of a sudden, the day before Christmas, 
The twittering crowds arrive, 
And the bitter, winter air at once, 
"With their chirping is all alive. 

They perch upon roof and gable, 
On porch and fence and tree, 
They nutter about the windows 
And peer in curiously, 

And meet the eyes of the children, 
Who eagerly look out; 
With cheeks that bloom like roses red, 
And greet them with a welcoming shout. 

On the joyous Christmas morning 

In front of every door 

A tall pole crowned with clustering grain 

Is set the birds before. 

And which are the happiest^ truly 

It would be hard to tell; 

The sparrows who share in Christmas cheer, 

Or the children who love them well! 



TOYON. 

How sweet that they should remember 
With faith so full and sure, 
That the children's bounty awaited them 
The whole wide country o'er. 

When this pretty story was told to me 
By one who had helped to rear 
The rustling grain for the merry birds 
In Norway, many a year, 

I thought that our little children 
Would like to hear it, too, 
It seems to me so beautiful, 
So blessed a thing to do — 

To make God's innocent creatures see 
In every child a friend, 
And on our faithful kindness 
So fearlessly depend. 

— Celia Thaxter. 



CHEISTMAS EVE. 

All night long the pine-trees wait, 
Dark heads bowed in solemn state, 
Wondering what may be the fate 
Of little Norway spruce. 

Little Norway spruce, who stood 
Only lately in the wood. 
Did they take him for his good — 
They who bore him off? 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 

Little Norway spruce so trim, 
Lithe and free and strong of limb — 
All the pines were proud of him; 
Now his place is bare. 

All the night the little tree 
In the dark stood patiently, 
Far away from forest free, 
Laden for the morn. 

Chained and laden, but intent 
On the pines his thoughts were bent, 
They might tell him what it meant, 
If he could but go! 

Morning came. The children/'SeeP' 
Oh, our glorious Christmas tree!" 
Gifts for every one had he; 
Then he understood! 

— Mary Mapes Dodge. ("Primary School"). 



HOLLY. 

Not one pretty flower would stay 
When old Autumn nipped the grass; 
For she had a cruel way, 
Though as red-cheeked as a lass. 
Winter had our Northland taken, 
Her white flags by winds unshaken. 



44 TOYON. 

What, then, was there bright enough 
For the merry Christmas day? 
"Good Dame Nature, be less rough," 
Said the folks. "Leave storms, we pray; 
Bring some posies and be cheery, 
Lest she find the world too dreary." 

"What are posies in the gleam 

Of my beautiful white frost?" 

Said the old dame from her dream: 
"By the hedge, all snow-embossed, 

Bloom itself the glad day carries," 

And she held up holly berries. 

How their scarlet brightness shone 
In the morning's airy tracks! 
Nature is a wise old crone — 
She knows what a picture lacks, 
Winter lost its melancholy 
Christmas laughed to see the holly. 

Since that hour, now far away, 
When time's tired wing was light, 
In the path of Christmas day 
Always shine the berries bright: 
And, 'mid all its tender folly, 
Gleams the blush of Christmas holly. 

— "Nature in Verse/ 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS 45 



CHRISTMAS AT SEA. 
(A Fragment.) 
Oh, well I saw the pleasant room, the pleasant faces there, 
My mother's silver spectacles, my father's silver hair; 
And well I saw the firelight, like a flight of homely elves, 
Go dancing round the china plates that stand upon the shelves. 

And well I knew the talk they had, the talk that was of me, 
Of the shadows on the household, and the son that went to sea: 
And, oh, the wicked fool I seemed, in every kind of way, 
To he here and hauling frozen ropes on blessed Christmas Day. 

— Robert Louis Stevenson. 



CHRISTMAS IN THE OLDEN TIME. 
(From "Marmion.") 
On Christmas Eve the bells were rung, 
On Christmas Eve the mass was sung — 
That only night in all the year 
Saw the stoled priest the chalice rear. 
The damsel donned her kirtle sheen; 
The hall was dressed in holly green; 
Forth to the wood did merry men go 
To gather in the mistletoe. 
Then opened wide the baron's hall 
To vassal, tenant, serf, and all. 
Power laid his rod of rule aside, 
And Ceremony doffed his pride. 



46 TOTON. 

The heir, with roses in his shoes, 

That night might village partner choose; 

The lord, underogating, share 

The vulger game of "post and pair"; 

All hailed with uncontrolled delight 

And general voice that happy night, 

That to the cottage, as the crown, 

Brought tidings of salvation down. 

The fire, with well-dried logs supplied, 

Went roaring up the chimney wide; 

The table bore upon its board 

No mark to part the squire and lord. 

Then was brought in the lusty brawn 

By old blue-coated serving-man; 

The grim boar's head then frowned on high, 

Crested with bay and rosemary. 

There the huge sirloin reeked; hard by 

Plum pudding stood, and Christmas pie; 

Nor failed old Scotland to produce 

At such high tide her savory goose. 

Then came the merry masquers in 

And carol roared with blithesome din. 

England was merry England when 

Old Christmas brought her sport again. 
'Twas Christmas broached the mightest ale, 
'Twas Christmas told the merriest tale; 

A Christmas gambol oft would cheer 

The poor man's heart through half the year. 

—Sir Walter Scott. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 47 

"Within the hall are song and laughter, 
The cheeks of Christmas glow red and jolly, 
And sprouting is every corbel and rafter 
With lightsome green of ivy and holly; 
Through the deep gulf of the chimney wide 
Wallows the Yule-log's roaring tide." 

— "Popular Educator." 



KAHAWAIFS CHEISTMAS. 

Somewhere on a sheltered island 

Where the birds coo night and day, 
And the palm-trees in their glory 

'Neath the gentle breezes sway, 
Far away from snowy mountains, 

Somewhere on Oahu's shore, 
Lived a wee Hawaiian maiden, 

Kahawaii's name she bore. 

She had heard a strange, sweet story, 

One of old and lasting fame, 
One that's loved alike by children 

Whatsoe'er their country's name. 
She had heard the pale-faced stranger 

Who had come o'er ocean wide, 
Tell the story of the Christ-Child 

And the happy Christmas-tide. 



48 TOYON. 

She had heard of dear old Santa, 

With his jolly, laughing face, 
How he scrambles down the chimney, 

Pausing at the big fireplace; 
She had heard he loved all children, 

Whether white or black or brown; 
That he makes his yearly visits 

From the hovel to the crown. 

Oft the little maiden pondered 

O'er the wondrous tales she heard. 
She was puzzled why dear Santa 

To her home sent not a word. 
Had he passed her humble dwelling, 

Knowing not a child was there, 
Or, perhaps, had he forgotten 

That she lived on isle so fair? 

It was drawing near to Christmas 

In the land across the sea, 
When the holly-berries ripen, 

And all hearts are full of glee, 
That the little brown wahine 

Sat beneath the cocoa palm, 
Listening to the saucy mynah 

Piping through the evening's calm. 

As she gazed across the water, 
Then into the starlit skies, 

Soon her little lips did quiver, 
And a prayer was heard to rise: 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 49 

"Moi Nui, I don't know you, 

But I'm sure you are somewhere; 
Send kind Santa to our hale, 
Send a gift — this is my prayer. 

"I have not a single plaything, 

Save the hirds and bees and fish; 
I've no brother and no sister, 

Send but one thing, if you wish. 
Let me tell you, Moi Nui, 

When Santa leaves the land of storm, 
He can cast his furs behind him, 

For he'll find it very warm. 

"In Oahu there's no snowstorm, 

Even in December's night, 
But you'll find the bright stars shining 

Or a rainbow's gorgeous light. 
I shall thank you for your kindness 

When my present may appear, 
And I'll be a good, kind daughter 

Every day throughout the year." 

Christmas morn broke bright and cloudless, 

Early Kahawaii came 
To the bedside of her mother 

For her morning kiss to claim. 
In Makua's arms lay sleeping 
Dear old Santa's Christmas gift, 
"Oh!" exclaimed wee Kahawaii, 
You're so tiny I can't lift." 
4 



50 TOYON. 

Happy, happy Kahawaii! 

Underneath the cocoa palm 
Warbling your own Christmas carol 

Sending forth a thankful psalm, 
You have found just such a present 

As God gave that Christmas day 
When the earth was waked from slumber 

By the heavenly choir's lay. 

— Letitia Mackay- Walker. 



IN THE GARDEN. 

There's a tender Eastern legend, 
In a volume old and rare, 
Of the Christ-Child in his garden 
Walking with the children there. 

And it tells this strange, sweet story- 
True or false, ah, who shall say? 
How a bird with broken pinion 
Dead within the garden lay. 

And the children, childish cruel, 
Lifted it by shattered wing, 
Shouting, "Make us merry music — 
Sing, you lazy fellow, sing!" 

But the Christ-Child bent above it, 
Took it in his gentle hand, 
Full of pity for the suffering; 
He alone could understand. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 51 

Whispered to it — so softly! 
Laid his lips upon its throat, 
And the song-life, swift returning, 
Sounded out in one glad note. 

Then away, on wings unwearied, 

Joyously it sang and soared, 

And the little children, kneeling, 

Called the Christ-Child "Master-Lord." 

— Grace Dufneld Goodwin. ("Primary School.") 



A CHEISTMAS WISH. 

I'd like a stocking made for a giant 
And a meeting-house full of toys, 
Then I'd go out in a happy hunt 
For poor little girls and boys; 
Up the street and down the street, 
And across and over the town, 
I'd search and find them every one 
Before the sun went down. 

One would want a new jack-knife 
Sharp enough to cut; 
One would long for a doll with hair, 
And eyes that open and shut; 
One would ask for a china set, 
With dishes all to her mind; 
One would wish a Noah's ark. 
With beasts of every kind. 



52 TOYON. 

Some would like a doll's cook-stove 
And a little toy wash-tub; 
Some would prefer a little drum 
For a noisy rub-a-dub-dub. 
Some would wish for a story-book, 
And some for a set of blocks, 
Some would be wild with happiness 
Over a new tool-box. 

And some would rather have little shoes 

And other things warm to wear; 

For many children are very poor, 

And the winter is hard to bear. 

I'd buy soft flannels for little frocks, 

And a thousand stockings or so; 

And the jolliest little coats and cloaks, 

To keep out the frost and snow. 

I'd load a wagon with caramels, 

And candy of every kind, 

And buy all the almonds and pecan nuts 

And taffy that I could find. 

And barrels and barrels of oranges 

I'd scatter right in the way 

So the children would find them the very first thing 

When they woke on Christmas Day. 

— Selected. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 53 



A CHEISTMAS WISH. 



"If you could make a wish, my dear, 
xAnd make but one," said I, 

"Just one sweet wish for all the year, 
What should it be? Now, try!" 

She thought a minute, gave a twirl, 
Her eyes began to shine; 
"I'd wish that every little girl 
Could have a doll like mine!" 



A SCHEMER. 

Into a famous toy shop 
Went little Joe and I 
In the crisp Christmas weather, 
To see what we could spy. 

It was a place of wonder, 

A real enchanted ground, 

Where everything that heart could wish 

Might certainly be found. 

There were swings and rocking-horses 
And sleds for boys and girls, 
And games and books and puzzles 
And dolls with flaxen curls- 



54 TOYON. 

Now find what she most wishes 
(It popped into my head) 
And get it for her Christmas, 
And so I spoke and said: 

"If you could have but one thing 
Of all the things you see, 
Now tell me, little daughter, 
What that one thing should he." 

The little maiden answered, 
Scanning the treasures o'er: 
"If I could take hut one fing 
I fink I'd take the store!" 



-Edgar L. Warren. 



A TELEPHONE MESSAGE. 

'Ah! Here's the little round thing my papa talks into 
To tell the folks down town what he wants to have them do. 
I'm going to try, myself — now let me get a chair, 
And then I'll stand on tiptoe so that I can reach up there. 

Halloo! (that's what they all say) — you dear old Santa Claus, 

I'm going to have a little bit of talk with you, because 

I want to tell you all about a little girl I know 

Who never had a Christmas in her life — she told me po. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 55 

I hardly could believe it, but she says 'tis really true. 
I'm sure you're always very kind, but I'm surprised at you, 
That you should have forgotten such a little one! but still, 
You have, perhaps, all the stockings you can fill. 

But, could you go to her house instead of coming here? 
For mamma says that Christmas is the time of all the year 
For children to remember poor litle girls and boys 
Who never hang their stockings up for picture-books and toys. 

And give her lots of goodies, too, because she's poor, you see, 
And ought to have more sugar-plums than you could bring to 

me. 
Now tell it on your fingers, and remember, as you go — 
Just pack her little stocking to the very, very toe. 

That's all — only, Santa Claus, I just would like to say, 

If you should have more presents 'than you need on Christmas 

Day, 
And could leave me just a few as you pass the chimney — why, 
Of course — I would be very glad indeed. Good-bye! Good- 

bye!" 

— Selected. 

LITTLE BAEBAEA'S HYMN. 

A mother stood by her spinning-wheel, 
Winding the yarn on an ancient reel; 
As she counted the threads in the twilight dim, , 

She murmured the words of a quaint old hymn: 
"Whether we sleep or whether we wake, 
We are His who gave His life for our sake." 



56 TOTON. 

Little Barbara, watching the spinning-wheel, 
And keeping time with her toe and heel, 
To the hum of the threads and her mother's song, 
Sang in her own sweet voice ere long: 
"Whether we sleep or whether we wake, 
We are His who gave His life for our sake." 

Next morning, with bounding heart and feet, 
Little Barbara walked the crowded street, 
And up to her lips as she passed along, 
Rose the tender words of her mother's song: 
"Whether we wake or whether we sleep, 
We are His who gave His life for our sake." 

A wanderer sat on a wayside stone, 
Weary and sighing, sick and alone; 
But he raised his head with a look of cheer, 
As the gentle tones fell on his ear — 
"Whether we wake or whether we sleep, 
We are His who gave His life for our sake." 

A mourner sat by her loved one's bier, 
The sun seemed darkened, the world was drear, 
But her sobs were stilled and her cheeks grew dry, 
As she listened to Barbara passing by — 
"Whether we sleep or whether we wake, 
We are His who gave His life for our sake." 

A sufferer lay on his bed of pain, 
With burning brow and throbbing brain, 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 57 

The notes of the child were heard once more, 
As she chanted low at his open door — 
"Whether we sleep or whether we wake, 
We are His who gave His life for our sake." 

Perhaps, when the labor of life is done, 
And they lay down their burdens, one by one, 
Forgetting forever those days of pain, 
They will take up together the sweet refrain: 
"Whether we sleep or whether we wake, 
We are His who gave His life for our sake." 

— Selected. 



CHEISTMAS TEEASUEES. 

I count my treasures o'er with care — 
The little toy my darling knew, 
A little sock of faded hue, 
A little lock of golden hair. 



Long years ago this holy time, 
My little one — my all to me — 
Sat robed in white upon my knee 
And heard the merry Christmas chime. 

'Tell me, my little golden head, 
If Santa Claus should come to-night, 
What shall he bring my baby bright — 
What treasures for my boy?" I said. 



58 TOYON. 

And then he named this little toy, 
While, in his round and mournful eyes, 
There came a look of sweet surprise, 
That spoke his quiet, trustful joy. 

And as he lisped his evening prayer 
He asked the boon with childish grace. 
Then, toddling to the chimney-place, 
He hung his little stocking there. 

That night, while lengthening shadows crept, 
I saw the white-winged angels come 
With singing to our lowly home 
And kiss my darling as he slept. 

They must have heard his little prayer, 
For in the morn, with rapturous face, 
He toddled to the chimney-place 
And found his little treasure there. 



They came again one Christmas-tide- 
That angel host, so fair and white! 
And, singing all that glorious night, 
They lured my darling from my side. 

A little sock, a little toy, 
A little lock of golden hair, 
The Christmas music in the air, 
A watching for my baby boy! 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 

But if again that angel train 

And golden head come back for me, 

To bear me to eternity, 

My "watching will not be in vain. 

— Engene Field. 



JEST 'FOKE CHEISTMAS. 

Father calls me William, sister calls me Will, 

Mother calls me Willie, but the fellers call me Bill! 

Mighty glad I ain't a girl — rather be a boy, 

Without them sashes, curls and things, that's worn by Fauntle- 

roy! 
Love to chank green apples an' go swimming in the lake — 
Hate to take the castor-ile they give for belly-ache! 
Most all the time, the whole year round, there ain't no flies on 

me, 
But jest 'fore Christmas I'm as good as I kin be! 

Got a yeller dog named Sport, sick him on the cat; 
First thing she knows she don't know where she's at! 
Got a clipper sled, an' when us kids goes' out to slide, 
"Long comes the. grocery cart, and we all hook a ride! 
But sometimes when the grocery man is worritted and cross, 
He reaches at us with his whip, an' larrups up his hoss, 
An' then I laff an' holler, "Oh, ye never teched me!" 
But jest 'fore Christmas I'm as good as I kin bel 



60 TOTON. 

Gran'ma says that she hopes that when I get to he a man, 

I'll he a nrissionarer like her oldest brother, Dan, 

As was et up by the cancibuls that lives in- Ceylon's Isle, 

Where every prospeck pleases, an' only man is vile! 

But Gran'ma she has never been to see a Wild West show, 

Nor read the life of Daniel Boone or else I guess she'd know, 

That Buffalo Bill an' cowboys is good enough for me! 

Except jest 'fore Christmas, when I'm as good as I kin be! 

And then old Sport he hangs around so solemn-like an' still, 
His eyes they seem a-saying: "What's the matter, little Bill?" 
The old cat sneaks down off her perch an' wonders what's be- 
come 
Of them two enimies of hern that used to make things hum! 
But I'm so perlite an' tend°so earnestly to biz, 
That mother says to father: "How improved our Willie is!" 
But father, havin' been a boy hisself, suspicions me 
When jest 'fore Christmas I'm as good as I kin be! 

For Christmas with its lots and lots of candies, cakes and toys, 
Was made, they say, for proper kids and not for naughty boys; 
So wash yer face, and bresh your hair, an' mind yer p's and q's, 
And don't bust out yer pantaloons, and don't wear out yer 

shoes; 
Say "Yessum!" to the ladies, and "Yessur!" to the men, 
An' when they's company, don't pass yer plate for pie again; 
But, thinking of the things yer'd like to see upon that tree, 
Jest 'fore Christmas be as good as yer kin be! 

— Eugene Field. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 61 



A CHRISTMAS STORY. 

'Twas a long time ago, say about eighteen twenty, 

When matches were scarce and bellows were plenty, 

In a neat little home, just outside of the city, 

That there lived a young lass whom her people called Kittie. 

She had pets for her comfort, and toys to amuse, 

More of either, I think, than a young girl can use. 

On the night before Christmas the clock had struck eight, 

And Kittie was sleepy, but wanted to wait 

Until mamma came home from a visit to town: 

So, doffing her clothing and donning her gown, 

She drew the big chair close up to the big fire, 

The blaze from which mounted up higher and higher. 

She waked up old Tabby, and, calling for Rover, 

Sat down to think all of her Christmas hopes over. 

She picked up the bellows that lay in the corner, 

And sat up as happy as little Jack Horner. 

Old Rover looked up, in his sad, quiet way, 

As if wondering what his kind mistress would say. 

While Tabby, afraid, but too jealous to hide, 

Crept cautiously up on the opposite side, 

Being ready, if all seemed just right, for the fun, 

But if Rover looked cross, to spit, bristle and run. 

Just look at a trio so happy and quiet — 

Would you know how much comfort there is there, just try it. 



62 TOY ON. 

"Now, Eover," says Kittie, "to-night's Christmas eve, 
A time when good children expect to receive 
Nice presents from Santa Claus, and for my share 
I have hung up a stocking, see how it hangs there 4 
And mamma has gone to Santa Claus kind 
To whisper what presents are most to my mind; 
And for fear that my stocking would he much too small, 
I have borrowed my grandma's to hang on the wall. 

"Now big dogs and pussy cats don't care, you see, 

For candy and dolls, and dishes for tea! 

And if you did care, it could not be so, 

For kittens and dogs don't wear stockings, you know; 

And I guess," and she thoughtfully threw back her curls, 
"There's a Santa Claus only for good boys and girls. 

But then, in the morning, quite early, come here, 

You shall each have a present, so never you fear; 

Eight under my stocking an elegant bone, 

Which Eover may take and gnaw all alone; 

And Tabby, whose coat is as flossy as silk, 

Shall find there a saucer of elegant milk." 

Now while Kittie was talking, her hearers to please, 

She made each point clear by giving a squeeze 

To the bellows, which puffed away into the blaze 

In a way to make anyone start with amaze. 

But tired and sleepy, at last she grew still 

And her head dropped on one side, as sleepy heads will; 

Old Eover lay down with his nose on his paws 

As if patiently waiting for old Santa Claus. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 

And the cat softly purred, as she quietly crept 

Into Kittie's warm lap, where she silently slept. 

Here we bid them good night, with the hope that to-morrow 

May bring "Merry Christmas," without care or sorrow. 

— Chas. H. Allen. 



HANG UP THE BABY'S STOCKING. 

Hang up the baby's stocking, 
Be sure you don't forget; 
The dear little dimpled darling! 
She ne'er saw Christmas yet; 
But I've told her all about it, 
And she opened her big blue eyes, 
And I'm sure she understood it — 
She looked so funny and wise. 

Dear! what a tiny stocking! 
It doesn't take much to hold 
Such little pink toes as baby's 
Away from the frost and the cold. 
But then, for the baby's Christmas, 
It never would do at all. 
Why, Santa Claus wouldn't be looking 
For anything half so small. 

I know what we'll do for baby. 
I've thought of the very best plan; 
I'll borrow a stocking of grandma, 
The longest that ever I can: 



64 TOYON. 

And you'll hang it by mine, dear mother, 
Eight here in the corner, so! 
And write a letter to Santa, 
And fasten it on to the toe. 

Write, "This is the baby's stocking 
That hangs in the corner here; 
You never have seen her, Santa, 
For she only came this year; 
But she's just the blessedest baby! 
And now, before you go, 
Just cram her stocking with goodies, 
From the top clean down to the toe." 

—Selected. ("Primary School.") 



TWO LITTLE STOCKINGS. 

Two little stockings hung side by side, 
Close to the fireplace, broad and wide. 
'Two?" said Saint Nick, and down he came, 
Loaded with toys and many a game. 
'Ho! ho!" said he, with a laugh of fun, 
'I'll have no cheating, my pretty one; 
I know who dwells in this house, my dear; 
There's only one little girl lives here." 
So he crept up close to the chimney-place 
And measured a sock with a sober face. 
Just then a wee little note fell out 
And fluttered low like a bird about. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 65 

"Aha! what's this?" said he in surprise, 
And he pushed his specs up close to his eyes, 
And read the address in a child's rough plan. 

"Dear Saint Nicholas," so it began, 

"The other stocking you see on the wall 
Is hung for a child named Clara Hall. 
She's a poor little girl, but very good, 
So I thought, perhaps, you kindly would 
Fill up her stocking, too, to-night, 
And help to make her Christmas bright. " 
If you've not enough for both stockings there, 
Please put all in Clara's, I shall not care." 
Saint Nicholas brushed a tear from his eye; 

"God bless you, darling," he said with a sigh; 
Then softly he blew through the chimney high 
A note like a bird's when it soars on high, 
When down came two of the funniest mortals 
That ever were seen this side of earth's portals. 
1 "Hurry up!" said Saint Mck, "and nicely prepare 
All a little girl wants where money is rare." 
Then, oh, what a scene there was in that room! 
Away went the elves, but down from the gloom 
Of the sooty chimney comes tumbling low 
A child's whole wardrobe, from head to toe. 
How Santa Claus laughed as he gathered them in, 
And fastened each one to the sock with a pin. 
When all the warm clothes were fastened on, 
And both of the socks were filled and done, 
Then Santa Claus tucked a toy here and there, 
And hurried away to the frosty air, 
5 



TOTON. 

Saying, "God pity the poor, and bless the dear child 
Who pities them, too, on this night so wild!" 
The wind caught the words and bore them on high 
Till they died away in the midnight sky; 
While Saint Nicholas flew through the icy air, 
Bringing "Peace and good will" with him everywhere. 
— Selected. ("Primary School.") 



ANNIE'S AND WILLIE'S PEAYEE. 
(A Christmas Story.) 

1. 

'Twas the night before Christmas; "Good-night" had been said, 

And Annie and Willie had crept into bed; 

There were tears on their pillows and tears in their eyes, 

And each little bosom was heavy with sighs, 

For to-night their stern father's command had been given 

That they must retire precisely at seven 

Instead of eight; for they troubled him more 

With questions unheard of than ever before. 

He told them he thought this delusion a sin, 

No such thing as "Santa Claus" ever had been. 

And he hoped, after this, he should never more hear 

How he scrambled down chimneys with presents each year, 

And this is the reason why two little h^ads 

So restlesly tossed on their soft, downy'beds. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 67 

2. 

Eight, nine, and the clock in the steeple tolled ten — 

Not a word had been spoken by either till then; 

When Willie's sad face from the blanket did peep, 

And whispered, "Dear Annie, is you fast asleep?" 
"Why, no, brother Willie," a sweet voice replies, 
"I've tried in vain, but I can't shut my eyes; 

For somehow it makes me so sorry because 

Dear papa has said there is no 'Santa Claus;' 

Now we know there is, and it can't be denied, 

For he came every year before mamma died; 

But then I've been thinking that she used to pray, 

And God would hear everything mamma would say. 

And perhaps she asked Him to send Santa Claus here, 

With the sacks full of presents he brought every year." 
"Well, why tan't we p'ay dest as mamma did then, 

And ask Him to send him with presents aden?" 
"I've been thinking so, too," and without a word more 

Four bare little feet bounded out on the floor, 

And four little knees the soft carpet pressed, 

And two tiny hands were clasped close to each breast. 



'Now, Willie, you know we must firmly believe 
That the presents we ask for we're sure to receive. 
You must wait just as still till I say Amen! 
And by that you will know that your turn has come then. 
Dear Jesus, look down on my brother and me, 
And grant us the favor we're asking of Thee; 



68 TOTON. 

I want a nice book full of pictures, a ring, 
And a writing-desk, too, that shuts with a spring. 
Bless papa, dear Jesus, and cause him to see 
That Santa Claus loves as much even as he; 
Don't let him get fretful and angry again 
At dear brother Willie and Annie, amen!" 
"Please, Desus, 'et Santa Claus tome down to-night, 
And bring us some presents before it is 'ight. 
I want he should give me a bright little box, 
Full of ac'obats, some other nice blocks, 
And a bag full of tandy, a book, and a toy, 
Amen, and then, Desus, I'll be a dood boy." 
Their prayers being ended, they raised up their heads, 
And with hearts light and cheerful again sought their beds; 
They were soon lost in slumber — both peaceful and deep, 
And with fairies in dreamland were roaming in sleep. 

4. 

Eight, nine, and the little French clock had struck ten 
Ere the father had thought of his children again; 
He seems now to hear Annie's half-smothered sighs, 
And to see the big tears standing in Willie's blue eyes. 
"I was harsh with my darlings," he mentally said, 
"And should not have sent them so early to bed. 
But when I was troubled — my feelings found vent, 
For bank-stock today has gone down ten per cent. 
But of course they've forgot their troubles ere this, 
And then I denied them the thrice asked-for kiss; 
But just to make sure I'll steal up to their door, 
For I never spoke harsh to my darlings before." 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 

So saying, he softly ascended the stairs, 
And arriving at the door heard both of their prayers. 
His Annie's "bless papa" draws forth the big tears, 
And Willie's grave promise fall sweet on his ears. 
"Strange, strange, I've forgotten," said he, with a sigh, 
"How I longed when a child to have Christmas draw nigh. 
I'll atone for my harshness," he inwardly said, 
"By answering their prayers, ere I sleep in my bed." 

5. 

Then he turned to the stairs and softly went down. 

Threw off velvet slippers and silk dressing-gown. 

Donned hat, coat and boots, and was out in the street — 

A millionaire facing the cold winter sleet; 

He first went to a wonderful "Santa Claus" store 

(He knew it, for he'd passed it the day before), 

And there he found crowds on the same errand as he, 

Making purchase of presents, with glad hearts and free. 

Nor stopped he until he had bought everything 

From a box full of candy to a tiny gold ring. 

Indeed, he kept adding so much to his store 

That his various presents outnumbered a score! 

Then homeward he turned with his holiday load, 

And without Aunt Mary's aid in the nursery 'twas stowed. 

Miss Dolly was seated beneath a pine tree 

By the side of a table spread out for a tea. 

A new writing-desk then near by it was laid, 

And on it a ring for which Annie had prayed; 

Four acrobats painted in yellow and red 

Stood with a block-house on a beautiful sled; 



70 TOTON. 

There were balls, dogs and horses, books pleasing to see. 
And birds of all colors were perched on the tree; 
While Santa Claus, laughing, stood up in the top, 
As if getting ready for more presents to drop. 
And as the fond father the picture surveyed, 
He thought for his trouble he had amply been paid; 
And he said to himself as he brushed off a tear, 
"I'm happier to-night than I have been for a year. 
I've enjoyed more true pleasure than ever before. 
What care I if bank-stock falls ten per cent more? 
Hereafter I'll make it a rule, I believe, 
To have Santa Claus visit us each Christmas eve." 

6. 

So thinking he gently extinguished the light, 
And tripped downstairs to retire for the night. 
As soon as the beams of the bright morning sun 
Put the darkness to flight and the stars one by one, 
Four little blue eyes out of sleep opened wide, 
And at the same moment the presents espied. 
Then out of their beds they sprang with a bound, 
And the very gifts prayed for were all of them found; 
They laughed and they cried in their innocent glee, 
And shouted for papa to come quick and see 
What presents old Santa had brought in the night 
(Just the things they had wanted), and left before light. 

7. 

"And, now," said Annie, in a voice soft and low, 
"You'll believe there's a Santa Claus, papa, I know." 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 71 

When dear little Willie climbed up on his knee, 
Determined no secret between them should be, 
And told, in soft whispers, how Annie had said, 
That their dear, blessed mamma, so long ago dead, 
Used to kneel down and pray by the side of her chair, 
And that God, up in Heaven, had answered her prayer! 
'Then we dot down and prayed dust as well as we tould, 
And Dod answered our prayers; now wasn't He dood?" 
'I should say that He was, if He sent you all these, 
And knew just what presents my children would please. 
(Well, well, let him think so, the dear little elf, 
'Twould be cruel to tell him I did it myself.)" 



8. 

Blind father! who caused your stern heart to relent? 
And the hasty word spoken so soon to repent? 
'Twas the Being who bade you steal softly upstairs, 
And made you His agent to answer their prayers. 

— Sophia E. Snow. 

(This poem will Buggest to parent or teacher a series of tableaux which 
may be presented while some child reads or recites the sweet old story.) 



NO SANTA CLAUS? 

(A recitation for an older pupil.) 

Yes, there is a Santa Claus! He exists as certainly as love 
and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they 
abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! 



72 TOTON. 

how dreary would "be the world if there were no Santa Clans! 
There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance, 
to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoy- 
ment except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which 
childhood fills the world would be extinguished. 

No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. 
A thousand years from now — nay, ten times ten thousand 
years from now — he will continue to make glad the heart of 
childhood. — Selected. 



A VISIT FKOM SANTA CLAUS. 

'Twas the night before Christmas, when, all through the house, 

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; 

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, 

In hopes that Saint Nicholas soon would be there. 

The children were nestled all snug in their beds, 

While visions of sugar plums danced in their heads; 

And mamma in kerchief, and I in my cap, 

Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap — 

When out on the lawn there 'rose such a clatter, 

I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter. 

Away to the window I flew like a flash, 

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash. 

The moon, on the breast of the new-fallen snow, 

Gave a luster of midday to objects below; 

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, 

But miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer, 

With a little old driver so lively and quick, 

I knew in a moment it must be Saint Nick. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 73 

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, 
And he whistled and shouted, and called them by name, 
'Now, Dasher! Now, Dancer! Now, Prancer, and Vixen! 
On, Comet! on, Cupid! on Donder and Blitzen! 
To the top of the porch — to the top of the wall! 
Now, dash away, dash away, dash away, all!" 
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, 
When they meet with an obstacle mount to the sky, 
So up to the housetop the coursers they flew, 
With the sleighful of toys — and Saint Nicholas, too. 
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof 
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof. 
As I drew in my head and was turning around, 
Down the chimney Saint Nicholas came with a bound. 
He was dressed all in fur from his head to his foot, 
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot; 
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back, 
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack. 
His eyes, how they twinkled! his dimples, how merry! 
His cheeks were like roses; his nose like a cherry; 
His droll little mouth was drawn like a bow, 
And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow. 
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, 
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath. 
He had a broad face and a little round belly, 
That shook when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly. 
He was chubby and plump — a right jolly old elf; 
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself. 
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head 
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread. 



74 TOT ON. 

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, 
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk, 
And, laying his finger aside of his nose, 
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose. 
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, 
And away they all flew, like the down of a thistle; 
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight, 
"Happy Chistmas to all, to all a good night!" 

— Clement C. Moore. 



CHRISTMAS EVE AT THE NORTH POLE. 

'Twas the night before Christmas, and at the North Pale, 

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mole. 

The stockings were hung by each little bear, 

In hopes dear Saint Nicholas soon would be there. 

Ma Bruin in kerchief, Pa Bruin in cap, 

Had curled themselves snugly to get a good nap — 

When up on the icebergs arose such a clatter, 

They scrambled up quickly to see what was the matter. 

The aurora shone bright on the snow and the ice; 

'Twas like day, don't you know? And then, in a trice, 

Appeared Santa Claus, laughing and jolly of face, 

On the top of a berg; but he soon slid to base, 

On a queer little sledge drawn by eight barking seals, 

Strung all over with bells, which rang silvery peals, 

While Santa Claus shouted to each one by name, 

'Come, Sloppy! up, Floppy! hi, Duke! and ho, Dame! 

Now, Freezer! now, Sneezer! on, Frappe! and hey, 

Heap full the stockings. Ta-ra-boom-de-ai!" 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 75 

The peanuts and candies he took from his store, 

Tin monkeys and rattles, and forty things more 

He crammed in the stockings, which grew in such size 

It made the two Bruins most burst with surprise. 

Then he wrapped himself warm from his toes to his hat; 

The seals dressed in sealskin — of course you know that — 

Got into the sledge, set all the bells ringing, 

And the last that was heard of him gayly was singing 

A rollicking song as he drove out of sight: 

•'Merry Christmas to all! to all a goodnight!" 

— Selected. 



THE CHEISTMAS DEEAM. 

Last Christmas time there was a lad about as big as I 
Who ate too much plum pudding, and likewise too much pie. 
He went to bed, and oh, dear me! what awful dreams he had! 
Because his stomach was so full and felt so very bad. 

He thought a great big bird, as black as ever crow could be, 
Sat on the headboard of his bed and watched him solemnly. 
And when he groaned in awful pain, this bird no one e'er saw 
Spread out two big and flapping wings, and uttered "Caw! 
Caw! Caw!" 

He thought a giant came to him and walked about his bed, 
And put his fingers to his nose, and wagged his frightful head. 
Then o'er the footboard of the bed he bent down very near, 
And, "Would you like some pie?" he said, and grinned from 
ear to ear. 



76 TOTON. 

The poor lad went to sleep again, and what do you suppose? 
He thought some most enormous rats were nibbling at his toes. 
He tried to scream; he tried to kick; but not a sound made he, 
For this unlucky lad was sick with nightmare pains, you see. 

He groaned, and woke. "Oh, dear!" said he, "if things weren't 

made to eat, 
Why do they taste so awful good, so tempting, and so sweet?" 
Again he slept. The giant danced, the rats fell at his toes. 
As "Caw! Caw! Caw!" the big bird screamed, and grabbed 

him by the nose, 

He screamed, and then his mother came. "Poor boy!" said 

she, "I thought 
That you would eat a great deal more than any creature 

ought." 
And then she gave the suffering lad such horrid stuff to take, 
He groaned and wondered which was worse — the medicine or 

ache. 

They gave him good advice next day. He took it like a pill, 
And what he said the night before, the lad repeated still: 
"Things hadn't ought to taste so nice; for if a thing is good, 
A boy don't know just when to stop, and couldn't if he would." 

— Eben E. Eexford. 



WHEN SANTA CLAUS COMES. 

A good time is coming — I wish it were here! 
The very best time in the whole of the year; 
I'm counting each day, on my fingers and thumbs, 
The weeks that must pass before Santa Claus comes. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 77 

Good-bye, for a while, then to lessons and school; 

We can laugh, talk, and sing, without ''breaking the rule"; 

No troublesome spelling, nor writing, nor sums, 

There's nothing but playtime when Santa Claus comes. 

I suppose I shall have a new dolly, of course — 

My last one was killed by a fall from a horse; 

And for Harry and. Jack, there'll be trumpets and drums, 

To deafen us all with, when Santa Claus comes. 

I'll hang up my stocking to hold what he brings; 
I hope he will fill it with lots of nice things; 
He must know how dearly I love sugar-plums; 
I'd like a big boxful when Santa Claus comes. 

Then when the first snowflakes begin to come down, 
And the wind whistles sharp and the branches are brown, 
I'll not mind the cold, though my fingers it numbs, 
For it brings the time nearer when Santa Claus comes. 

—Elizabeth Sill, in "The Primary School." 



MES. SANTA CLAUS. 

I think it is quite time 
I took a little part 
In all these Christmas joys 
So dear to children's hearts. 



78 TOTON. 

For Santa Claus' name 
Is known the wide world round; 
And every year, with hearty glee, 
His praises 'children sound. 

But Mrs. Santa Claus — 
Indeed, whoever heard of her ? 
I shouldn't be at all surprised 
If Santa'd left you to infer 

There wasn't any Mrs. Claus, 
Who stayed at home and mended toys, 
And stuffed his pack and filled his sleigh 
That he might bring you Christmas joys. 

For many a year I've stayed at home, 
As I was told all good wives did. 
I kept the house, I fed the deer, 
I did whatever I was bid. 

But time has changed; my hour has struck; 
The Twentieth Century woman's here, 
And I have quite made up my mind 
That I will drive each second year. 

For I would not ungenerous be, 
Of work I take an equal share; 
Of pleasure, too, I ask a half — 
I'm sure that's not more than fair. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 79 

I'm ready now to do my part, 
So look for me, dear friends, this year, 
And give to me a welcome warm — 
I bring you joy and Christmas cheer. 

— "Northwestern Journal of Education." 



SANTA CLAUS AND THE MOUSE. 

One Christmas eve, when Santa Claus 

Came to a certain house, 
To fill the children's stockings there 

He found a little mouse. 

"A merry Christmas, little friend," 
Said Santa, good and kind. 

"The same to you, sir," said the mouse; 
"I thought you wouldn't mind 

"If I should stay awake to-night 
And watch you for a while." 

"You're very welcome, little mouse," 
Said Santa, with a smile ; 

And then he filled the stockings up 
Before the mouse could wink — 

From toe to top, from top to toe 
There wasn't left a chink. 

"Now, they won't hold another thing," 
Said Santa Claus, with pride. 
A twinkle came in mouse's eyes, 
But humbly he replied: 



TOYON. 

"It's not polite to contradict — 
Your pardon I implore — 
But in the fullest stocking there 
I could put one thing more." 

"Oh, ho/' laughed Santa, "silly mouse, 
Don't I know how to pack ? 
By filling stockings all these years, 
I should have learned the knack." 

And then he took the stocking down 

From where it hung so high, 
And said, "Now put in one thing mere; 

I give you leave to try." 

The mousie chuckled to himself, 

And then he softly stole 
Eight to the stocking's crowded toe 

And gnawed a little hole. 

"Now, if you please, good Santa Clans, 
I've put in one thing more; 
For you will own that little hole 
"Was not in there before." 

How Santa Claus did laugh and laugh! 

And then he gayly spoke : 
"Well, you shall have a Christmas cheese 
For that nice little joke." 

If you don't think this story true, 

Why, I can show to you 
The very stocking with the hole 

The little mouse gnawed through. 

— Emilie Poulsson. ("Primary School.") 



BOIIDAY RECITATIONS. 81 



WHO FILLS THE STOCKINGS? 

Look where the stockings hang in a row! 
Least and greatest, how they show ! 
Let lispers and toddlers still believe 
Lapland Kriss on a Christmas eve 
Lowers himself through the chimney black, 
Lades each sock from his well-filled sack, 
Leaps on his sleigh — and his reindeers go 
Lightly over the frozen snow! 

'Likely story!" yon cry, and you 

Laugh with your lips, and your eyes of blue. 

Look sharply now — and look again — 

Lesson in primer was never more plain: 

Long stocking, short stocking, all show the same, 

Large letter L, which stands for a name. 

Love left his monogram written here — 

Love fills the stockings, children dear! 

—"Wide Awake." 



From earthland, 

From skyland, 

From some very highland, 

Some wondrously shyland, 

Old Santa Claus comes. 

— Selected. 



82 TOYON. 

WHAT THE MOTHER GOOSE CHILDREN WANT FOR 
CHRISTMAS. 

(To be recited by thirteen children in costume.) 

(1.) 

Little Boy Blue would like a new horn 
For his will not make a sound; 
It rusted when he lay so long 
Asleep upon the ground. 

(2 and 3.) 

And Jack and Jill want a water-pail, 
For theirs has been used so long 
For carrying water down the hill, 
It isn't very strong. 

(4.) 

The woman who lived in the wonderful shoe, 
With so many children about, 
Says a nice, new shoe would suit her well, 
For hers is wearing out. 



(5.) 



There's Mary Quite Contrary — well, 
The things that she longs for most 
Are silver bells and cockle-shells, 
For some of hers are lost. 



(6.) 



<*•) 



(8.) 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 



And Jack Horner wants a large, fresh pie, 
Well stocked with many a plum, 
And hopes to find one every time 
That he puts in his thumb. 



Now, what does Little Miss Muffet want? 
Why, a bowl for curds and whey, 
As hers got cracked when the spider came, 
And frightened her away. 



And Simple Simon a penny wants, 
To take with him to the fair, 
That he may with the pieman trade — 
He'd like to taste his ware. 

(9.) 

There's Mother Hubbard, the kind, old soul, 
She would like a nice, big bone 
For that hungry, gifted dog of hers, 
Whom all would like to own. 

(10.) 

Mr. Peter, Pumpkin Eater, wants 
A much larger pumpkin-shell, 
For since his wife has worn big sleeves, 
She does not fit in well. 



84 TOY ON. 

(11.) 

Bo-Peep really needs a shepherd's crook, 
For, when she awoke from sleep, 
She forgot to take her crook along 
While searching for her sheep. 

(12.) 

Dr. Foster, who to Gloucester went, 
In that heavy shower of rain, 
Would like a pair of rubber boots 
Before he goes again. 

(13.) 

But the boy who used to steal the pigs — 
That's Tom, the Piper's Son- 
Does not deserve a Christmas gift — 
He'll surely not get one. 

— L. F. Armitage 



CHEISTMAS MOENING. 

They put me in the great spare bed, and there they bade me 
sleep : 

I must not stir; I must not wake; I must not even peep! 

Eight opposite that lonely bed, my Christmas stocking hung; 

While near it, waiting for the morn, my Sunday clothes were 
flung. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 



I counted softly, to myself, to ten, and ten times ten, 
And went through all the alphabet, and then began again; 
I repeated that Fifth-Keader piece — a poem called "Kepose," 
And tried a dozen other ways to fall into a doze — 

When suddenly the room grew light. I heard a soft, strong 

bound, 
'Twas Santa Claus, I felt quite sure, but dared not look around; 
'"Twas nice to know that he was there, and things were going 

rightly, 
And so I took a little nap, and tried to smile politely. 

*TIo! Merry Christmas!" cried a voice; I felt the bed a-rocking; 
'Twas daylight — Brother Bob was up; and oh, that splendid 
stocking! 

—"St. Nicholas." 



THE MAHOGANY TEEE. 

Christmas is here. Sorrow, begone! 

"Winds whistle shrill, Life and its ills, 

Icy and chill. Duns and their bills, 

Little care we: Bid we to flee. 

Little we fear, Come with the dawn, 

Weather without, Blue devil sprite; 

Sheltered about Leave us to-night 

The Mahogany tree. Bound the old tree. 

— Thackeray. 



TOTON. 



THE CHKISTMAS SPIES. 

The little birds see all you do; 
They hear each word you say; 
They sit and talk about it, too, 
When you are out at play. 

And then to Santa Claus they go, 
And tell him everything, 
So, when, on Christmas, he comes by, 
He'll know just what to bring. 

—"Little Folks." 



BABY'S BELIEF. 

I believe in my papa, 

Who loves me, oh, so dearly; 
I believe in Santa Claus, 

Who comes to see me yearly: 
I believe the birdies talk 

On the boughs together; 
I believe the fairies dance 

O'er the fields of heather; 
I believe my dolly knows 

Every word that's spoken; 
I believe it hurts her, too, 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 87 

When her nose is broken. 
Oh ! I believe in lots of things — 

I can't tell all the rest — 
But I believe in you, mamma, 

First, and last, and best. 

— Charles H. Lugrin, in "St. Nicholas." 



THE DOLL'S CHEISTMAS. 

You mustn't think I'll tend you, 

Dolly darling, for you see 
To-day I've very much to do 

And am as busy as can be. 
Company's coming to-morrow, dear, 

Uncles and aunts and all, 
Coming to spend their Christmas Day, 

And I can't attend to you, doll. 

To-night I'll hang up your stocking, dear, 

And 'twill be filled with things so fine. 
You know you hang them once a year, 

And then its Christmas-time. 
To-morrow you'll wear your very best dress, 

And behave your prettiest way, 
Now, go to sleep, dear; when you wake 

You'll find its come Christmas Day. 

—"Popular Educator." 



TOY OK. 



CHRISTMAS JINGLES. 

Willy Wally 
Had a dolly, 
Hung it on a tree. 
"Went away, 
Wind did play, 
Humpty, dumpty dee! 

A boy went out 

With laugh and shout, 

One Christmas long gone by. 

The reason he 

Was filled with glee, 

This story shall tell why. 

Old Santa had 

Brought to the lad 

A striped jumping-jack, 

Which climbed a stick 

So nice and slick 

And slowly slid down back. 

— E. S. W. 



"The wrong shall fail, 
The right prevail, 
With 'peace on earth, good will to men.' " 

"Hang up the vine and holly, 
Sign the cross- over the door, 
That joy coming in with Christmas 
May go from the place nevermore. 



' 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. i 

To-day the Christ-Child reigneth, 
In might of love alone, 
A crowned and sceptered monarch, 
And every heart his throne." 

"A merry Christmas morning 
To each and every one! 
The rose has kissed the dawning, 
And the gold is in the sun." 

"And may the Christmas splendor 
A joyous greeting bear 
Of love that's true and tender, 
And faith that's sweet and fair!" 

— "Popular Educator." 



A CHEISTMAS JINGLE. 

With a clink and a clack, 
And a great big pack, 

Down triro' the chimney, 

Pretty nimbly, 
Somebody comes on Christmas Eve. 

If we are real nice, 
And as still as mice; 

If we never peep, 

And are sound asleep, 
He'll fill our stockings, I do believe. 



•* 



90 TOYON. 



And when we arise 
Next day, our eyes 

Will grow big to see 

How perfectly 
He knew what we all wished to receive. 

—Susie M. Best. ("Primary School/') 



WHAT WILLIE WANTS. 

Dear Santa Claus: 
You brought a sled 

To me a year ago; 
And when you come again, I hope 

You'll bring along some snow. 

— Selected. 



CHRISTMAS SONG. 

(Tune, "Lightly Row.") 

Christmas bells, Christmas bells, 
How the merry music swells; 
Loud they ring, loud they ring, 
Santa Claus a welcome bring. 
See his sleigh, how packed with toys, 
Dolls for girls and skates for boys; 
Bells ring clear, bells ring clear, 
Santa Claus is near. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 91 

Christmas tree, Christmas tree, 
Eeady now for you and me, 
Full of toys, full of toys, 
Gifts for girls and boys, 
Something there for every one; 
Homeward now, his work is done, 
Hear him cry, hear him cry, 
"Little folks, good-bye!" 

— Selected. 



SANTA'S MESSAGE. 

Santa writes: "Dear little girl, 

Pray tell me what you wish, 
And, sure as sure can be, 

Til bring it in a dish. 

'And, little man, for what you like 

Write to old Santa's place; 
For ball or top, boat or bike 

Must come through Santa's grace. 

'Then hang your stockings up, my dears, 

For Santa Claus to fill, 
And ask for things you ought to have 

That will not make you ill. 

'And as your wishes are fulfilled, 

Just render thanks and say, 
Dear Santa Claus, we wish that you 

Could come to us each day!'" 

— G. W. B 



92 TOYON. 



SHOE OR STOCKING. 

In Holland children set their shoes, 

This night, outside the door; 
These wooden shoes Knecht Clohes sees, 

And fills them from his store. 

And here we hang our stockings up 

On handy hook or nail; 
And Santa Claus, when all is still, 

Will plump them without fail. 

Speak out, you "Sobersides," speak out, 

And let us hear your views; 
Between a stocking and a shoe, 

What do you see to choose? 

One instant pauses Sobersides, 
A little sigh to fetch — 
"Well, seems to me a stocking's best, 
For wooden shoes wont stretch." 

—Edith M. Thomas. 



SANTA'S COMING. 

Jingle, jingle, Christmas bells! 
What a tale your chiming tells! 
Little children, joyous, free, 
Stand around the Christmas tree. 



EOLIDAT RECITATIONS. 

Eyes are sparking, voices ring, 
Sweetly, sweetly, hear them sing! 
"Come, dear Santa, come this way, 
Come and join ns in our play!" 

Santa comes with laugh and shout, 
Scatters presents all about. 
Hear him cry, "Oh, children dear, 
Merry Christmas, glad New Year!" 

—A. J. B. 

CHRISTMAS GREETING. 

The Christmas hells are ringing, 

Over land, from sea to sea; 
Their joyous tones are pealing, 
"Welcome, welcome, glad and free!" 

In Bethlehem's born a Saviour, 

'Tis the Christ, our Lord and King; 

Ah, listen! hear yon shepherds, 
Their joyous praises sing. 

Oh, Jesus, loving Saviour, 

Thy blessings with us be! 
We do, as little children, 

In faith look up to Thee. 

Then as these bells are pealing 

Their glad and joyous sound, 

"May peace, good will on earth" 

Thro' all the world resound! 

— G. W. B. 



94 TOTON. 



WHAT CHEISTMAS BEINGS. 

Merry Christmas always brings 
Such a crowd of pretty things. 
Useful, too — now, let me see 
What it brings for you and me! 
Caps and hats and mittens warm, 
Scarfs to keep out wind and storm, 
Cars and tops and sleds and books, 
Loving words and happy looks. 

— Selected, 



WHEN" I AM BIG. 

When I am big I mean to buy 
A dozen platters of pumpkin pie, 
A barrel of nuts, to have 'em handy, 
And fifty pounds of sugar candy. 

When I am big, I mean to wear 
A long-tailed coat, and crop my hair; 
I'll buy a paper, and read the news, 
And sit up late whenever I choose. 

— From "Primary School.' 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 95 



LITTLE TWO-YEARS. 

Little Two-Years (coming New Year's) 
Hung her stocking up with pride, 
While the fire, snapping, roaring, 
Blazed within the chimney wide; 
Then across the carpet, slowly, 
Stole with tread as soft as snow 
Little Two-Years (coming New Year's) 
Pit-a-pat and tip-a-toe. 

Sought her downy bed of blankets 
Heaped with pillows, soft and white, 
Little Two-Years (coming New Year's) 
Meant to watch the livelong night — 
Watch the mystic, wondrous chimney, 
Down whose flue, so dark and wide, 
Laden with a store of treasure, 
Good old Santa Claus would slide. 

Peeping from the snowy pillows, 

Little Two- Years tried to think, 

The fire so hot — how can old Santa — 

Here her eyes commenced to blink; 

The clock struck eight, the clock struck nine, 

The hours she ceased to number, 

The fire burned low, the little maid 

Was wrapped in peaceful slumber. 



TOYON. 

All in the morning, bright and early, 
Little Two- Years leaped from bed, 
Ban across the crimson carpet 
With a quick, impatient tread. 
Eeached her stocking, now o'erflowing, 
Pulled it down with noisy glee, 
Shouting, laughing, calling gayly, 
"See what Santa has brought to me!" 

— F. E. Fryatt. 



BROWNIE SONG. 
(Air, "Where do all the daisies grow?") 

Where do all the Brownies go? 

I know, I know! 
To the land of frost and snow; 
Back they quickly come, you know, 
Round the world, oh, ho, oh, ho! 

That is where they go; 
Round the world, oh, ho, oh, ho! 

That is where they go. 

Where do all the Brownies hide? 

Outside, outside, 
Of the towns and cities wide, 
In the wildwood they abide. 
'Mong the flowers the Brownies hide, 

That is where they hide. 
'Mong the flowers the Brownies hide, 

That is where they hide. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 97 

"What do all the Brownies do 

For you, for you? 
Look about for work to do; 
Help you all be good and true; 
Watch the flowers and guard them, too— 

That is what they do; 
Watch the flowers and guard them, too — 

That is what they do. 

Where do all the Brownies work, 

Work, work, work, work? 
Chinese, Negro, Russian, Turk — 
Brownies all, and never shirk? 
Santa's shop is where they work, 

That is where they work; 
Santa's shop is where they work, 

That is where they work. 

What do all the Brownies make, 
Make, make, make, make? 
Greatest pains the Brownies take 
For the little children's sake — 
Christmas gifts the Brownies make, 
These are what they make; 
Christmas gifts the Brownies make, 
These are what they make. 

—By Allie M. Felker. 
(This Brownie song should be sung or recited by several boys 
in costume. At the close, Santa Claus steps in and places a minia- 
ture Christmas tree on the floor or a low stand. Bach Brownie pins 
a gift on it. Santa Claus, carrying the tree, then marches out, fol- 
lowed by the Brownies.) 
7 



98 TOYON. 

SOME OF THE LESSONS OF CHRISTMAS DAY. 
(To be read or recited by an older pupil.) 

Of all the holidays that occur during the year, Christmas is 
looked forward to by most persons with the greatest pleasure. 
It is a festival day, bringing joy and gladness to thousands of 
homes — a day when boys and girls, even if they have outgrown 
Santa Claus and the stocking by the fireplace, expect, and in 
most cases receive, presents from those who love them. 

It is probably true that many children are so interested in 
what they hope to have for Christmas presents, and afterward 
in the presents themselves, that they forget what the day really 
is. 

Let us see if we cannot come to a clearer understanding of 
the day and what it should mean to us. You all know what a 
birthday is — for you have one every year, and it is doubtless 
celebrated in some way every time it comes. 

Your birthday, however, is usually celebrated only by your 
own family, although, if you have a birthday party, others 
may come and aid you in its celebration. But, at best, there 
will be few to engage in it. 

Sometimes we celebrate the birthdays of great men. The 
twenty-second of February, Washington's Birthday, is cele- 
brated by nearly our whole nation. This is because he was a 
very great man. The day is, in most states, made by law a 
public holiday. 

The Fourth of July is another birthday, the birthday of our 
nation, and you all know how widely that is celebrated. Not 
only all through our own country, but even in foreign lands, 



HOLIDAY RECITATWN8. 99 

whenever two or more Americans can get together, they cele- 
brate what we call the "Glorious Fourth/' 

But Christmas Day is a birthday celebrated far more widely 
than either of these. All over the Christian world, beginning 
on Christmas Eve, the day is recognized as the day of days. In 
all of England, in the most of Europe, in parts of Asia and 
Africa, as well as in many islands of the sea, Christmas is ob- 
served in much the same manner as we observe it — an almost 
universal holiday. 

And all this is in remembrance of the fact that nearly 
nineteen hundred years ago, as we reckon time, there was born 
in the city of Bethlehem, a little baby boy. Born, not amid 
pomp and splendor, not even with the ordinary comforts of 
life, but in a lowly manger, surrounded by the "beasts of the 
field" — for, when His parents came up to visit Bethlehem, 
"there was no room in the inn." 

Is it not a strange thing indeed that so many millions of 
people, year after year, unite in honoring the birthday of this 
manger-cradled Babe? And yet, His birth is the real reason 
for our keeping Christmas Day. 

It is not for me to tell you the story of the wonderful life 
of this baby boy. You have heard much about it, and you will, 
all your life, be hearing much more. You will learn that we 
get but two short glimpses of this life until the boy became a 
man: that when He became a man, He began to teach, "Speak- 
ing as never man spake"; that for three years He went about 
doing good and teaching people, and that He was then put to 
death on the Cross. 

You know where to find this whole story simply told, and 
you should read it very often and very thoughtfully. As you 
grow older you will come to know that the full lesson of this 



100 TOYON. 

life is "The Greatest Thing in the World." If, in addition to 
the simple story in the Gospels the older ones of you can read 
"The Prince of the House of David," and "Ben Hur," it will 
help you to understand why we keep Christmas. 

Now let us think what is the very best way to celebrate the 
birthday of so beautiful and sacred a life. 

On your own birthday you often receive presents from your 
relatives and friends. These gifts mean that your friends love 
you and are glad that you were born; and, as you grow older, 
you will learn to prize these gifts more and more for this mean- 
ing instead of for their money value. 

You will read that on the very first Christmas Day, the wise 
men brought gifts to the little Babe in the manger — gold, and 
frankincense and myrrh — the best treasures they had. But, as 
you cannot do this, what should you do? Do not think too 
much of what you are to receive, but rather what can you do 
to make this a happy Christmas Day for others. 

First, if you have any ill will toward any one, let this day blot 
it out, for its first lesson is, "On earth peace, good will toward 
men." Second, as you cannot give gifts to this once baby boy, 
remember those who are in want, the poor or afflicted, for one 
of the best lessons He ever taught us is this: "Inasmuch as ye 
have done it unto one of the least of My brethren, ye have done 
it unto Me!" 

There are two facts that children, and sometimes older 
people, are slow to learn; and yet, you will, I hope, by and by 
learn that both are true. However much pleasure the presents 
you receive give you, in almost every case they give a far 
greater pleasure to the givers; and, if it happens, as it often 
does, that there is something fitting that you particularly want 
and that your parents are unable to get for you, their inability 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 101 

to give is the cause of more pain to them than the lack of the 
gift brings to you. It is often so much more blessed to give 
than to receive. 

The other fact is this: Whenever you harbor ill will toward 
a person it gives you far more unhappiness than it does him. 
He may be sorry every time he thinks of it, but you will posi- 
tively be unhappy every time you see him, or think of him. 
You perhaps remember, in more than one case, the happiness 
that came from a full reconciliation. 

If you take these two lessons to heart, you will have learned 
very much that will enable you to have a "Merry Christmas." 

— Chas. H. Allen. 

THE NEW YEAE. 

Little children, don't you hear 
Some one knocking at the door? 
Don't you know the glad New Year 
Comes to you and me once more? 
Comes with treasures ever new, 
Spread out at our waiting feet; 
High resolves and purpose new 
Bound our lives to music sweet. 

Ours to choose the thorns or flowers, 
If we but mind our duty; 
Spend aright the priceless hours, 
And life will glow with beauty. 
Let us then the portals fling, 
Heaping high the liberal cheer; 
Let us laugh, and shout, and sing, 
Welcome, welcome, glad New Year! 
— Selected. 



102 TOY ON. 



THE NEW YEAE. 

King, bells, from every lofty height. 
An infant fair is born tonight; 
Ring far and wide, ring full and clear, 
To welcome in the glad New Year. 
"The king is dead; long live the king!" 
They said of old, and so we sing. 
The Old Year has gone to his repose, 
There let him rest beneath the snows. 

Behind us, with the year that's gone, 
Lie countless sins that we have done. 
"With joy we cast all care away 
And pass into another day. 
New day, new life, whose noble deed 
With all our sinful years succeed. 
A life of action, great and strong, 
To cancel all we've done of wrong. 
Eing, joyful bells, our hearts beat high 
With faith and hope. Beyond the sky 
Perchance the angels stand and wait 
To catch the sound at Heaven's gate! 
And echoing each silver tone, 
Sing songs of praise around the Throne. 
Eing, happy bells, to us is given 
Still longer to prepare for heaven. 

—Violet Fuller. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 



KING! 



Eing! King! Eing! 
A welcome to the bright New Year! 

Life, Hope, Joy, 
On his radiant brow appear! 
Hearts with love are thrilling, 
Homes with bounty filling. 
Ho! ye wardens of the bells, 

Eing ! Eing ! Eing ! 
Eing for winter's bracing hours, 
Eing for birth of spring and flowers, 
Eing for summer's fruitful treasure, 
Eing for autumn's boundless measure, 
Eing for hands of generous giving, 
Eing for vows of nobler living, 
Eing for truths of tongue or pen, 
Eing "Peace on earth, good will toward men." 
Eing ! Eing ! Eing ! 
Eing, that this glad year may see 
Earth's accomplished jubilee! 

Eing ! Eing ! Eing ! 
— "A New Year's Chime," in "Primary Education.' 



JANUAEY. 

Always a night from old to new ! 

Night and the healing balm of sleep! 
Each morn is New Year's morn come true, 

Morn of a festival to keep. 



104 TOYON 

Only a night from old to new; 

Only a sleep from night to morn. 
The new is but the old come true; 

Each sunrise sees a new year born. 

— H. H., in "Primary Education. 



. A NEW YEAK SONG. 

When the year is new, my dear, 

When the year is new. 
Let us make a promise here, 

Little I and you. 
Not to fall a-quarreling 
Over every tiny thing, 
But sing and smile, smile and sing, 

All the glad year through. 

As the year goes by, my dear, 

As the year goes by, 
Let us keep our sky swept clear, 

Little you and I. 
Sweep up every cloudy scowl, 
Every little thunder-growl, 
And live and laugh, 
Laugh and live, 

'Neath a cloudless sky. 

When the year is old, my dear, 
When the year is old, 
Let us never doubt or fear 
Though the days grow cold. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 105 

Loving thoughts are always warm; 
Merry hearts know ne'er a storm; 
Come ice and snow, so love's dear glow 
Turn all our gray to gold ! 
-Laura E. Kichards, in "Youth's Companion." (From "Prim- 
ary Education.") 



DANCE OF THE MONTHS. 

The New Year comes in with shout and laughter, 

And see, twelve months are following after! 

First, January, all in white, 

And February, short and bright. 

See breezy March go tearing round; 

But tearful April makes no sound. 

May brings a pole with flowers crowned, 

And June strews roses on the ground. 

A pop! A bang! July comes in; 

Says August, "What a dreadful din!" 

September brings her golden sheaves; 

October waves her pretty leaves, 

While pale November waits to see 

December bring the Christmas tree. 

They join their hands to make a ring, 

And as they dance they merrily sing, 

"Twelve months we are, you see us here, 

We make the circle of the year. 

We dance and sing, and children, hear, 

We wish you all a glad New Year!" 

— Selected. (From "Primary Education.") 



106 TOYON. 



THE JOLLY YOUNG KINO. 

There's a jolly young fellow, so blithe and merry 
Who goes by the name of "January." 

He keeps out of sight 

Till a certain night, 

When old Father December 

Lies low on his bier, 

And his crown, you remember, 

Awaits the New Year. 

This little new king, as he steps to his throne, 
Makes many a promise that he will atone 
For the faults of the old year, or many or few, 
And no doubt the gay fellow does mean to be true 
To each and to all. 

And here's to the health of the merry new king! 
To his true, loyal subjects new joys may he bring ! 

May the months be so glad 

That no heart may be sad! 
May peace and prosperity walk hand in hand, 
And doubt and perplexity flee from the land. 

For "A Happy New Year!" 

Cries young January; 

"I'm coming! I'm here! 

Let all hearts be merry." 

— Mary D. Brine, in "Primary Education.' 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 107 



IT'S COMING. 

It's coming, boys; It's almost here; 
It's coming, girls — the grand New Year. 
A year to be glad in, not to be bad in; 
A year to live in, to gain and give in; 
A year for trying, and not for sighing; 
A year for striving and hearty thriving; 
A bright new year, oh, hold it dear; 
For God, who sendeth, He only lendeth. 

— Selected. 



RING OUT, WILD BELLS. 

Eing out, wild bells, to the wild sky, 
The flying cloud, the frosty light! 
The year is dying in the night; 
Eing out, wild bells, and let him die! 

Eing out the old, ring in the new, 
Eing, happy bells, across the snow ! 
The year is going — let him go; 
Eing out the false, ring in the true. 

Eing out false pride in place and blood, 
The civic slander and the spite; 
Eing in the love of truth and right; 
Eing in the common love of good. 



108 TOYON. 

Eing out old shapes of foul disease; 
Eing out the narrowing lust of gold; 
Eing out the thousand wars of old; 
Eing in the thousand years of peace. 

Eing in the valiant man and free — 
The larger heart, the kindlier hand; 
Eing out the darkness of the land; 
Eing in the Christ that is to he. 

— Tennyson. 



THE SEVEN LITTLE SISTEES. 

(Selections arranged from Jane Andrew's "Seven Little Sisters," 
and Frye's Primary Geography.) 

Costume of Little Brown Girl: Cotton waist; striped shawl 
draped for skirt; strings of beads and bracelets; straight black 
hair, parted in the middle. 

Costume of Agoonack: White canton flannel cloak with 
pointed hood trimmed in white fur; moccasins and mittens made 
of white canton flannel. 

Costume of Manenko : Bandanna handkerchief wound around 
the head, turban style; red shawl, flowered calico skirt; face, 
arms, hands and feet blackened. 

Costume of Gemila: White turban; plain white loose gown 
fastened at the back; bare feet; face blackened with burnt umber. 

Costume of Jeanette: Plain white dress, full skirt, elbow 
sleeves, black velvet girdle; white stockings, black shoes; hair 
parted and hanging in braids. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 109 

Costume of Pen-se: Dark-blue silesia suit (Chinese blouse 
and pantaloons); white stockings, Chinese slippers. 

Costume of Louise: White waist, red skirt, black velvet gir- 
dle; white stockings, black shoes; string of blue beads around 
the neck; flaxen hair braided in two braids and wound round 
the head. 

The Seven Little Sisters enter from a side room to the plat- 
form, arrange themselves in a semicircle, and recite : 

(All:) 

We, the Seven Little Sisters, 
Gay and happy joyous band, 
Come to greet and to amuse you — 
Each will tell you of her land. 

(The Little Brown Girl steps forward, holds up a large brown 
doll and recites :) 

This is the little brown baby. I brought her from the island 
of Java, southeast of Asia. Java is a land of fruit and flowers. 
It is so beautiful that people often call it the "Pearl of the 
East." Would you like to visit the litle brown baby's home? 
It is a pretty hut made of bamboo. 

I am the little brown baby's sister. I help my mother 
keep the hut very neat and tidy. I stuff pillows with soft, white 
down that grows on a tree near by, and I weave grasses into 
mats which we use for beds. Then I cover them with pretty 
cloth. 

My people eat rice, cocoanuts, and bananas. We like to drink 
the milk of the cocoanut. 



110 TOTON. 

The little brown baby and I live near the equator, where the 
weather is very hot. Our people send coffee over to you. I think 
coffee is not good for boys and girls to drink. What do you 
(looks at children in audience) think about it ? 

(The little Brown Girl steps back to her place.) 

(Agoonack :) 

Do you know me? I am Agoonack, the little Eskimo sister. 
I come from a cold country. They say that Santa Claus lives 
in a country near mine. He is a jolly old fellow. Have you 
ever seen his reindeer ? 

I live in an Eskimo hut made of blocks of stone. It looks 
like a great brick oven. The door is a low opening close to 
the ground, and one must creep on hands and knees to enter. 
There is another smaller hole above the door; it is the window. 
It has no glass — only a thin covering of something my father 
took from the inside of a seal, and my mother stretched over the 
window-hole, to keep out the cold and to let in a little light. 

At my home we have three months of darkness, three months 
of light, and six months of twilight. We often see streamers 
of the great Northern Lights. Would you like to live in a cold 
country where is seen the aurora borealis, and where the great 
white bear and reindeer live? 

(Manenko :) 

I am Manenko, the little black girl. I come all the way from 
Africa. I have never been to school, although I am more than 
seven years old. I don't know how to read. I never saw a book 
but once. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. Ill 

I'll tell you what I can do. I can paddle my own canoe — 
on the river. I can hoe corn, and I can find wild bees' honey 
in the woods. I like to gather the scarlet fruit and help my 
mother pound corn in the great wooden mortar. 

I live in a little, round house with low doorways most like 
those of a dog's house. We have a round, pointed roof, made 
of long rushes that grow by the river and braided together firmly 
with strips of mimosa bark; fine, soft grass is spread all over 
this roof to keep out the rain. 

Of course, I am a negro. Many of my people have been taken 
from their homes in Africa and sold as slaves. In your land 
there are millions of black people, but they are all free. 

We negro children are very fond of music. We keep time 
well, and we often make sounds like birds and running brooks. 
We have many games, also, and we like to dance and play ball. 

(Gemila :) 

I am Gemila, the little desert girl. I sleep in a tent. We have 
no furniture like yours — nothing but mats and low cushions 
called divans. 

My people eat bread and dates. We drink camel's milk, and, 
when we can get them, we eat ostrich eggs. One is enough 
for our whole family. 

I should not be happy if I had to live in a house, eat from 
a table, and sleep in a bed like yours. 

(Gemila then sings or recites the following : x 

"I am Gemila, I am Gemila. 
I am a little desert girl. 
The desert is my home, 
And there I love to roam, 
For I am a little desert girl." 



112 TOYON. 

( Jeanette :) 

I am Jeanette, the little Swiss mountain maiden. There is 
a fine story, "William Tell," written about some people in my 
country. 

Have you heard about the Alps? They are beautiful, snow- 
capped mountains. My home is up among them. 

(Jeanette now sings some pretty Swiss song or recites the fol- 
lowing:) 



SWITZEELAND. 

"On Alpine heights the love of God is shed; 
He paints the morning red, 
The flowerets white and blue, 
And feeds them with His dew. 
On Alpine heights a loving Father dwells. 

"Down Alpine heights the silvery streamlets flow; 
There the bold chamois go; 
On giddy crags they stand, 
And drink from his own hand. 
On Alpine heights a loving Father dwells. 

"On Alpine heights the herdman tends his herd; 
His shepherd is the Lord; 
For He who feeds the sheep 
Will safe his children keep." 

— Selected. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 113 

(Pen-se:) 

I am Pen-se. I live in a boat on the river. People say that 
I am not a lady because my feet are large, but I'd rather be able 
to walk than to be the little Chinese girl who lives in the high- 
walled garden of the great house on yonder hill. She has small 
feet, and has to lie on her silken bed most of the time. Do 
you not think it cruel to bind up her feet in that way? 

(Louise :) 

I am Louise, the child of the beautiful Eiver Rhine. I live 
where grapevines grow and where solemn old castles stand. Our 
dear Fatherland is much like your own country. 

It is the dear Christinas time in our home. Ten days ago a 
lovely Christmas present came to us. Can you guess what it 
was? A little baby brother. 

This year we shall have our Christbaum, or Christmas tree, at 
the foot of mother's bed. Tiny candles will burn all over this 
tree like little stars, and glittering fruit will hang among the 
dark-green branches. There will be presents for us all. Fritz 
will have a sword and Gretchen will have a big doll. I expect 
to have a workbox, some books, and perhaps a wheel. There 
will be nuts and candy for everybody, but we shall not take these 
off until New Year's Eve. That is the time to disrobe the 
Christmas tree. 

We think our baby brother the dearest Christmas present of 
all. Let me tell you in song of the first and best Christmas 
presents the world ever had. 

(Louise sings "The Story of Christ" in "Song Stories for the 
Kindergarten," by Mildred J. and Patty S. Hill. Published 
by Clayton F. Summy, 174-176 Wabash Avenue, Chicago.) 
8 



114 TOYON. 

(All:) 

"We hope our visit 's given pleasure, 
Parents, friends, assembled here. 
We wish you all full Christmas measure 
And a gladsome, bright New Year. 



TO HGNGLcULU CHILDREN. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 117 

Costumes. 

1. Leialoha Kahalewai, age 8 : Blue waist, blue overalls, pan- 
ama hat, crown encircled by flower wreath, or lei; bare feet; face, 
hands, and feet, dark brown. 

2. Luka Kapena, age 8 : Navy blue sailor suit, trimmed with 
white braid; white sailor or island hat encircled with a lei; hair 
combed straight back and hanging in one braid; bare hands and 
feet; complexion, dark brown. 

3. Ululani Lemon, age 14: White neglige shirt, black tie, 
white pantaloons, white belt, white sailor or island hat, tan 



4. Lydia Aholo, age 14 : White dress, white sailor hat, white 
stockings and white canvas shoes, white island fan. 

5. Ah Kee, age 14: White shirt, white pantaloons, leather 
belt, grey cap; bare feet; complexion, yellowish brown; long 
black braid, or queue. 

6. Ah Laan, age 12: Eegular Chinese costume or dress like 
Luka Kapena's; complexion, yellowish brown. 

7. Mary Dias, age 10 : Eed dress reaching to shoe tops, plain 
waist and belt, small shawl folded diagonally and pinned in 
front; hair, straight, parted in middle and reaching to shoulders. 

8. Antone Silva, age 12 : Colored shirt, blue overalls, leather 
belt, brown straw hat, bare feet. 

9. Mrs. Kiku Nakayama, age 15: Gray silk kimono, a long, 
loose garment folded in front from left to right; flowing sleeves: 
obi, or wide sash, folded like a knapsack at the back; gray, white 
or lavender silk neck-piece; hair coiled high at the back of the 
head, and fastened with a tortoise-shell pin, tortoise-shell comb 
in front; white socks, sandals made of straw and fastened with 
velvet straps; Japanese fan, umbrella. 



118 TOTON. 

10. Take Matsui, age 14: Flowered kimono, white socks, 
sandals, light umbrella; complexion, yellowish brown. 

11. Euth Shaw, age 12: Thin, white dress, island hat, white 
shoes, white belt, white silk gloves, white island fan. 

12. Hiram Bingham, age 15: White suit, tie, panama hat, 
white belt, white canvas shoes. 



THE HONOLULU CHILDEEK 

The Honolulu children march in by twos from a side room to 
the platform, arrange themselves in a semicircle, and recite in 
concert : 

From Oahu, in the tropics, 

An island famed in song, 

"We bring Hawaii's greeting, 

"Aloha," sweet and strong. 

The children then step forward in turn and recite their parts : 

(Leialoha Kahalewai:) 

How do you do ? I am a little Hawaiian boy, and my name is 
Leialoha Kahalewai. 

I live in Honolulu. Your people call our city the 'Taradise 
of the Pacific." We call it Hawaii Nei. 

I have to go to school every day when I am well. If I don't 
the truant officer comes after me. My people are sometimes 
called Kanakas, but we like better to be called natives, or Ha- 
waiians. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 119 

We boys have great fun swimming about in Honolulu harbor. 
"We swim out to meet the steamers, and we often dive for nick- 
els and dimes which people throw into the water. We carry 
these in our mouths. Sometimes our cheeks are puffed way out 
they are so full of money. When the tide is low, we often wade 
out to the coral reefs and break off pieces of coral. 

Did you ever see a surf -boat? It is fun to ride in one back 
from the coral reefs when the tide is high. 

Come to Honolulu and I will show you our ricefields and taro 
patches. We make poi out of the root of taro. We are very 
fond of poi and fish. Sometimes we grind up cocoanuts and mix 
them with poi. We call this Hawaiian pudding. We eat pine- 
apples, bananas, mangoes and alligator pears. 

There are many spiders and insects here, but there are no 
snakes. I never saw a live snake in my life. We make pets of 
the frogs, spiders, and lizards; we carry them around in cans, 
boxes or bottles, and we often play with them all day long. 

In Honolulu there are few birds, but out in the hills and on 
the other islands there are a great many kinds. Some of them 
are very beautiful. I wish you could see our fishes. They are 
of every size, shape, and color. 

We used to have kings and queens in this country, but in 
August, 1898, the Stars and Stripes became our flag. 

The Hawaiians all like music. Have you heard our band? 
Before the islands belonged to the United States the last piece 
always played by the band was "Hawaii Ponoi." Now the band 
plays "The Star Spangled Banner" after this Hawaiian national 
air. 



120 TOT ON. 

(Luka Kapena:) 

Do you wish to know my name ? It is Luka Kapena. My 
father and mother live a long way off on another island. I have 
not seen them since I was a little girl. I live at a school called 
Kawaiahao Seminary. My father and mother do not come to 
see me because it costs too much, and it makes them sick to ride 
in the boat. Every year they send money to pay my tuition. 

Shall I tell you what I like to do the best ? I like to string 
flowers, seeds, and shells. We call each string a lei. We make 
and sell leis to the white people. 

The little Hawaiian girls play just the same games as the 
boys. We like ball, tops and marbles, and we can all swim and 
ride horseback. 

We have great fun on steamer days. We like it best when the 
Australia sails. Then the band plays, and everybody goes to the 
steamer. I like to ride down in a hack. Sometimes the people 
who go away are just covered with leis. 

The Hawaiian children sing many pretty songs. We like the 
words and music of "Steamer Day/' Listen and I will sing it 
for you: 

STEAMER DAY. 

I will make a lei, 

For 'tis steamer day, 
Flowers yellow, flowers blue, 

I will string for you. 

Leaves of maile, too, 

I will weave for you, 
Green and sweet the maile lei, 

I will weave for you. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 121 

Friends who go away, 

Crowned with flower lei, 
Think of those they left behind, 

Stringing flowers gay. 

(For music of "Steamer Day" see "Simple Songs for Little Singers," 
by Anna B. Tucker.) 

(Ululani Lemon:) 

People call me a hapa haole. That means "half-white." My 
mother is Hawaiian and my father is English. I go to the Ka- 
mehameha School. It is one of the best schools in Honolulu. 
It is like a little city out at Kamehameha. There are many 
buildings; they have a church, a museum, halls, workshops, a 
school for girls, two for boys and a number of pretty cottages. 
The boys and girls are all or in part, native Hawaiians. 

You must have heard of West Point, the greatest military 
school in the United States. The cadet suit I have on is like 
those worn by the boys at West Point. It is my Kamehameha 
uniform. Do you like it ? We boys are good soldiers. We have 
a banner and a brass band of our own, and we always march 
when there is a royal funeral or procession in town. 

We marched at the funeral of Queen Dowager Kapiolani. She 
was the wife of Kalakaua, the last king of Hawaii. 

The Queen lay in state at her home for several days. On 
Wednesday at midnight she was brought to the native church. 
Her tenants followed, wailing and bearing burning torches made 
of kukui nuts. The church was beautifully decorated with yel- 
low and purple, the royal colors, and there were many floral 
pieces. 



122 TOYON. 

For two days and nights services were held in the church. 
The Hawaiian Quartette sang many fine selections, and some of 
the oldest natives chanted just as our forefathers did in Poly- 
nesia one hundred years ago. 

Have you ever seen a kahili ? You would say it Tooks like a 
large feather duster. Eight Hawaiians waved kahilis over the 
queen dowager's casket. Eoyal funerals are held on Sunday. 
The natives always come over from the other islands to attend 
them. 

Have you ever seen the picture of a catafalque? Kapiolani 
was put in a catafalque, and this was drawn by four hundred 
Hawaiian men dressed in black and white, and wearing yellow 
capes of silk or cotton. The kahili bearers wore capes of yellow 
feathers. These are made of the feathers of the Oo bird, which 
is now almost extinct. These birds are black, and they have a 
tuft of yellow feathers under each wing. In the Bishop Mu- 
seum at our school there are many mantles made of Oo feathers ; 
one is eleven feet long and thirty inches wide. How many 
birds do you think were killed in order to make these capes ? 

The queen dowager's funeral procession was a large one. First 
came the foot platoon of policemen, then the mounted police 
and the Portuguese band. Our Kamehameha boys and girls 
came next, and after them the pupils of the other schools and 
colleges. They were followed by the Hawaiian band, soldiers, 
and native societies. Then came the royal retainers, the bear- 
ers of the queen's crown and jewels, her physicians, the Protest- 
ant and Catholic clergy, the English choir and clergy, the four 
hundred linesmen and the kahili bearers, catafalque, and pall- 
bearers. The two princes, David Kawananakoa and Jonah Ka- 
lanianaole, King Kalakaua's sister's children, followed in the 
queen dowager's carriage, and after them came the carriage of 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 123 

the ex-queen Liliuokalani. After the natives came the carriages 
of President Dole, his cabinet officers, and the diplomatic and 
consular corps. The general public in hacks, carriages, and on 
foot completed this royal procession. 

Minute-guns were fired and bells were tolled for the good 
Queen Dowager Kapiolani, and all the people in Honolulu felt 
sad as she was carried to her last resting-place in the royal ceme- 
tery. 

(Lydia Aholo:) 

I, too, am a hapa haole. I go to the Kamehameha Girls 1 
School. Our uniform is a white dress and a white sailor hat. I 
have come to tell you about a native feast given one Christmas 
night in the country a short distance from Honolulu. The feast 
was held in a shed of thatched grass, decorated inside with ferns 
and flowers. Over one hundred people came, and the men, 
women, and children all wore leis. 

The long, low table, shaped like three sides of a square, was 
covered with ferns and ti leaves, and the food was piled high 
upon it. There were no plates, knives nor forks. 

Liliuokalani was queen then. She stood at the head of the 
table, and we stood all around. After she was seated we sat on 
the ground and rested our arms on the table. Four Hawaiian 
girls waved kahilis over the queen's head all the time she was 
eating. 

I wonder if you ever saw a calabash. It is a bowl made out of 
native wood. Chinese and Japanese servants passed calabashes 
of water. The people all washed their "hands and dried them on 
ti leaves. 

Poi was then passed in calabashes. We dipped the first two 
fingers of our right hand in this, gave them a quick twist, and 



12 4 TOYON. 

then put them in our mouths. This is the way we eat poi. 
What do you suppose is meant by one-fingered, two-fingered, and 
three-fingered poi? Thick poi is eaten with one finger, thinner 
with two, and very thin with three. 

When the poi was eaten, the waiters served roast pig to every 
one. Each piece was done up in ti leaves. We untied the 
leaves and ate the roast pig. Chicken, duck, and turkey were 
served in the same way. Afterwards, raw fish, "baked fish and 
fried fish, also done up in ti leaves; raw sea urchins in the shell, 
live shrimps, and great balls of seaweed were passed and eaten. 
Look in the dictionary and you will see a picture of a squid. We 
ate many squids. Hawaiians like food you would not care to 
see on your tables. How would you like to eat a piece of roast 
dog ? This is one dish of which the old natives are very fond. 

Of course we ate bananas, pine-apples, and other tropical 
fruits. I could not begin to tell you all we had to eat and drink, 
but it was a great feast. Another word for feast is luau. Some 
day if you come to Honolulu you may be invited to a luau. The 
Hawaiians enjoy such feasts just as much as you enjoy your 
Thanksgiving dinner. 

(Note.— In the "Youth's Companion," July, 1899, there is an ac- 
curate description of how poi is made.) 

(AhKee:) 

I am Ah Kee. I was born in a little village in China. I was 
not named until I was a month old; then I was washed in water 
in which leaves of the whampe tree had been boiled, and in 
which two duck's eggs and some copper coins had been placed. 
A good woman shaved my head, and the two duck's eggs were 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 125 

gently rolled over it. You will think this a queer ceremony. 
We call it "the touching of the hair." I was then dressed in a 
red jacket and green trousers, and a new cap was put on my 
head. My father and mother now spread out food, and wor- 
shipped, first, the goddess; second, the great spirit; and third, 
our ancestors. I was then named and taken into the temples 
where our people worship the gods. A lantern on which was 
written, "Longevity, Eiches, Honor," was then lighted, and all 
our friends and relatives went with us to our house to enjoy 
what is called the "full month's feast." 

When I was six years old I went to the village school. The 
teacher wore large Chinese goggles and a hlue silk robe. I had 
to learn by heart everything in a book called the Tri-Metrical 
Classic ; afterward I learned all there was in another book called 
the Chinese Classics. The teacher used to whack me over the 
head when I did not know my lessons. 

Our people worship many gods and goddesses. When I was 
a little boy my mother often took me into the temple of the 
Goddess of Mercury, and we sometimes went into the temple of 
Kwan-Ti, the god of war; but we were not taught, as you are 
in the Sunday-school, to love the Chirst-Child and to keep the 
Sabbath day holy. 

I was very happy in China. I had good times on such holi- 
days as the "feast of the lanterns." My father and mother were 
always kind to me. They were very poor, and I had to go away 
to see if I could not make a little money to help them. I was 
sorry to leave them and go off to the "fragrant sandal-wood 
hills." That is what our people call the Hawaiian Islands. 

It is a long way from my native village to Hong Kong. We 
had to take a boat and go down the river. On the way we were 
attacked by pirates. Many people were killed, but my uncle 



126 TOYON. 

and I escaped. At last we reached Hong Kong and we went 
on board a great steamer. I had never seen so large a boat be- 
fore, ard for many days I thought I was riding on the back of 
a real dragon. 

At first I was very much afraid of the people (foreigners), 
or Fan-Qui devils, as I had been taught to call them; but they 
were kind to me and I sooned learned to like them. 

When we reached Honolulu my uncle took me to Mills' 
Institute, a large school for Chinese boys. Have you heard 
of Mr. Damon ? He is at the head of this school. He is a good 
man. He and his wife are both very kind to the Chinese 
people. Mrs. Damon's father and grandfather were missionaries 
in China. She lived there many years, and she speaks Chinese 
as well as we do. Mr. Damon also speaks our language. 

In Mr. Damon's school we study reading, spelling, geography, 
arithmetic, book-keeping, etc., and besides all this we learn to 
do all kinds of work. "We like Mr. Damon because he helps 
us find work. All the Chinese boys like to work and earn 
money. We study the Bible and are taught to love God and 
to keep his commandments. 

Every year Mr. Damon gives the Chinese boys and girls and 
their fathers and mothers a picnic. It is great fun. We play 
all kinds of running and jumping games. We always have a 
nice luncheon. The things I like best are cake, melon, pine- 
apple, and soda water. We enjoy the ride we have on the 
tramcars or in carriages to and from the picnic. 

(Ah Laan:; 

My name is Ah Laan. I was born in China. When I was 
little my father was sick a long time, and he had to sell our 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 127 

rice plantation to get money to live on. By and by my father 
died. 

My mother wanted to buy the plantation back. She had no 
money, so she sold me to a man named Sin Fong. I did not 
know that I was sold until my master took me on board a great 
ship. Then I knew that I was a slave-girl. There were many 
slave-girls on that ship. 

Sin Fong, my master, brought me to Honolulu and got me 
a place to work. I had to earn money for him. Mr. and Mrs. 
Lum Ming, the people I lived with, were not good to me. Every 
day they strapped Ah Ming, their boy, on my back and made 
me carry him about the streets. He was almost as large as I, 
and the straps made great ridges on my shoulders. Mrs. Lum 
Ming kept a big Chinese servant who was always kind to me, 
but the second year she married and went away. Then I had 
to do all the work. I was too little to do the washing, but Mrs. 
Lum Ming made me wash way into the night. She was very 
unkind to me, and I wasn't at all happy. 

Mr. Lum Ming sometimes sent me on errands. One day 
while out, I told a kind gentleman how Mrs. Lum Ming treated 
me, and he told me to run away the next time. I tried to do 
all the work; but one night I could not finish. Mrs. Lum Ming 
said I was lazy. When she tried to punish me, I ran away and 
hid. They brought out a lantern and looked for me everywhere, 
but they could not find me. 

You have heard about the Chinese boys' school. Well, I 
went there in the middle of the night and I stood by the great 
wall until morning. One of the teachers, a kind gentleman, 
found me and took me to a girls' school, where there are a great 
many Hawaiian children, several Japanese, and a few Chinese 
girls. 



128 TOTON. 

My master tried to get me back, but the court would not 
let him have me. 

The gentleman who found me has kept me in this girls' 
Seminary three years. He pays my tuition and is very kind to 
me. I like the school. It is my home. I live there all the 
time. I have learned to read, write and speak English. We 
also learn to sew, cook, and do housework. 

Little Chinese girls who live with their fathers and mothers 
are very happy. When a baby girl is born, they say she brings 
good luck and gold pieces into the home. Sometimes her 
mother calls her Gold Piece, and she thinks it a very pretty 
name. They called me Gold Piece when I was little. 

By and by I shall go out to work and earn money. Do you 
think I can earn enough to take me back to China? I should 
like to see my mother. She had to sell me. Maybe if she 
hadn't we should both have starved. 

(Mary Dias:) 

I am Mary Dias, a Portuguese girl. I live with my mother 
in Honolulu. She takes in washing. Grandmother lives with 
us. She sews all day long. 

When I am not at school I take care of the baby for my 
mother, or go on errands, and do all I can to help her. Some- 
times she gives my brother and me a basket of figs, papaias, or 
alligator pears ; we sell these from house to house, and bring the 
money home to my mother. We go after washing and we take 
the clean clothes back to the people. Grandmother often sends 
us out with sewing. 

We live up near Punahou College. Sometimes we ride down 
town on the tramcars with my grandmother. We go with her 
into the stores, and she lets us carry some of the packages. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 129 

We are always glad when Sunday comes. Father is with us 
then. We all go to church early in the morning, and visit with 
our friends the rest of the day. Once in a while we go to the 
heach at Waikiki and then to Makee island to hear the hand 
play. 

Once a year we have a Portuguese picnic. Do you like to 
ride on the steamcars? This year three hundred of our people 
went out to Pearl Harhor. We had a fine time at this picnic. 
There were music and dancing and many good things to eat 
and drink. Oh, it was fun to ride on the cars, out past the 
taro patches and ricefields. We passed several beautiful lakes, 
and saw a number of Chinese and Japanese villages. In the 
distance we saw sugar plantations. A planation is like a little 
village. There are houses, shops, and a large sugar-mill. Hun- 
dreds of Chinese, Japanese, and Portuguese work on these plan- 
tations. 

(Antone Silva:) 

I am a Portuguese boy. I was born in Honolulu but I now 
live with my father and mother on the Ewa sugar plantation. 
How many sugar plantations do you think there are on the 
Hawaiian Islands? There are sixty, and every year we send 
you many thousands of tons of sugar. 

Perhaps you have seen sugar-cane growing. I help my 
father plant, cultivate, and irrigate it. How long do you think 
we have to wait before the cane is ready to cut? We wait a 
whole year and a half. Then we cut it down, strip it in the 
fields, and put it on the cars which take it to the sugar-mills. 

Would you like to know how sugar is made? Sometime, 
when you visit Honolulu, get on the cars and ride out to Ewa 
9 



130 TOTON. 

plantation, and someone will show you through the large sugar- 
mill and tell you all you wish to know about sugar-making. 

I work most of the time. I have no time for play except 
when I am at school. My people all work. Do you know where 
Madeira and the Azores are? The Hawaiian government 
brought out people from those islands to work on the sugar and 
rice plantations. Over seven thousand Portuguese children have 
been born here, and there are more than fifteen thousand of our 
people on the islands. 

Have you seen the Hawaiian flag ? The Portuguese people 
have always liked "Old Glory" best, and we are glad the stars 
and stripes now float over Hawaii Nei. 

(Mrs. Kiku Nakayama:) 

I am a Japanese lady. , You can tell that I am married by the 
way I wear my hair. Do you know how long it takes to dress 
it? Twice a week the hair-dresser comes to my house and 
spends a whole hour dressing my hair. She uses much camelia 
oil. The Japanese never curl their hair. When I was a little 
girl I wore straight bangs. My hair was done up in the back 
and made to look like a bow of ribbon. A little tortoise-shell 
pin was run through it. When I was a young lady it was rolled 
up in front, puffed in the back, and made into a beautiful roll 
at the top. This was tied with a silk cord, and a tassel hung on 
each side. I wore a tortoise-shell comb just in front of the 
roll or puff. But now I wear it in this way. Do you like it? 

The kimono I have on is made of silk crape; most of the 
Japanese ladies in Honolulu wear kimonos. 

I was born in Tokio. My mother died when I was a little 
baby, and my father brought me to the "Paradise of the Pa- 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 131 

cific." He died soon after we landed and a kind lady named 
Mrs. Southworth took me to her home. She treated me as 
kindly as if I had been her daughter. I went to the public 
school and I was graduated from the high school. A lady said 
to me the other day, "Mrs. Nakayama, you speak the purest 
English I have ever heard in Honolulu." It made me very 
happy to hear that, for I have always tried to speak correctly. 

Mrs. Southworth sent me through a kindergarten training 
school, and then I taught for three years in a Japanese kinder- 
garten. There are many Japanese children in Honolulu and 
about forty thousand of our people in the Hawaiian Islands. 

I am not teaching now. Two years ago I married a Japanese 
gentleman who is a cashier in one of the hanks of Honolulu. 
"We have a lovely home at Waikiki. Will you not come to see us 
some time? "We are always pleased to entertain American 
ladies and gentlemen. "We are glad to see the children, too. 
They are always welcome. 

My husband and I attend the Japanese Methodist Church. 
There is a Japanese Congregational Church here, also. I have 
been to Japan twice. The first time I felt the winter very 
much, as the houses are built differently from yours. They 
have sliding doors made of paper, and great thick wooden out- 
side doors which are opened in the morning and kept open all 
day. The rooms open into each other, and one can look right 
through the house. 

There are no stoves or fire-places; there are instead, square 
fire-boxes, or braziers, which hold a few red coals. These bra- 
ziers are not large enough to warm the whole body at once, but 
just the tips of one's fingers and nose. The gas that comes 
from these coals is very disagreeable. 



132 TOYON. 

There is no furniture to speak of in a Japanese house. The 
people sit on floor-mats and eat their meals from trays 
placed in front of them. They eat rice and fish, but they have 
a great many other dishes. 

The children in Japan are very fond of games. One is like 
battledore and shuttlecock. ' Do you know how to play that 
game? They have another like jackstones; they play this with 
little crape bags filled with beans. 

In Japan the plum and cherry blossoms are very beautiful, 
also the azalia, wisteria, and many other flowers. The chry- 
santhemum is the national flower. The Japanese name for 
chrysanthemum is kiku. I was named for that flower. Nearly 
every house has a garden in which are little lakes crossed by 
tiny bridges. In these lakes there are many pretty gold-fish 
swimming about. 

The Japanese have many picnics and flower festivals. The 
children always enjoy these, but they like their own festivals 
better. Every year, on the third of March, the girls have a 
dolls' festival. Do you know the meaning of the word "heir- 
loom"? There are five or six dolls in each family; these are 
heirlooms. Once a year they are brought out and kept on ex- 
hibition in the home for a whole month. Three times a day 
the little girls of the family and their friends carry food and 
place it on trays in front of these dolls. Each doll stands for 
some one in the royal family; one stands for the emperor and 
one for the empress. The children do not play with these dolls; 
but they have dolls with which they can play every day. 

The dolls' festival always closes with a feast. The children 
eat the food which they set before their dolls. At the end of the 
month, the dolls are put away in boxes and the children do not 
see them again for a whole year. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 133 

On the fifth of May, the boys have a carp festival which also 
closes with a feast. The boys all have carps from five to ten 
feet long. These are made of paper or crape. They are filled 
with air and tied to the top of a long bamboo pole, and the boys 
watch them go swimming about in the air. The Japanese say 
that the carp is a sign of progress, and they teach their boys to 
make it a symbol of their lives. They say, "Our boys must aim 
high and follow in the line of progress." 

The third of November is Emperor Mutsuhito's birthday. 
This is always celebrated by a state ball much like your gov- 
ernor's balls, and by many boat and horse-races. On this day, 
the Japanese towns and cities are beautifully decorated with 
bunting and flags, and there are many pretty fireworks. There 
were minry emperors before Mutsuhito; they are all related. 
Japan has had one hundred and twenty-two emperors. Em- 
peror Mutsuhito is a very sensible man; he does not think him- 
self so much above the people as other emperors did, but he often 
rides about in an open carriage and goes freely among them. 
There were emperors in Japan six hundred and sixty years be- 
fore the Christ-Child came to us. 

Foreigners can now travel all over Japan without passports. 
Would you not like to see that country ? It is very interesting. 

(TakeMatsui:) 

Can you tell my nationality by my clothes? My name is 
Take Matsui and I came from Tokio. I do not wear a kimono 
every day. I have put this on to show you what my people wear 
in Japan. Most of the boys in Honolulu wear white duck 
suits; they are cool and confortable. 



134 TOTON. 

I work for a lady named Mrs. Eeed. She lives on King street. 
I wash dishes, clean the floors, porches, and windows and take 
care of the lawns. Sometimes I go on errands. 

Where do you think I like to go best? I like to go to the 
market. It is near the water-front and it covers a whole block. 
It is one of the most interesting places in Honolulu. The 
market is an open one. It is roofed to keep out the sun and 
rain. There are green lawns around it; these are protected by 
a fence. The space under the roof is divided into eight squares, 
and there are sixteen stalls in each square. Paved sidewalks 
pass through the market. I like to walk there when the place 
is all lighted up by electricriy. 

The stalls look like little stores, and one can buy whatever 
one wishes to eat or drink. Most of the groceries, fish, meats, 
fruit, and vegetables are brought in on cars over the little rail- 
road which runs from the wharf near the pilot house up through 
a gateway into the front of the market. The merchants are 
Chinese, Japanese, and Hawaiians. 

The fishermen sometimes come in from the boats and steam- 
ers with great baskets of fish, crabs, and lobsters. These fisher- 
men are queer auctioneers. It is fun to see them bid off their 
fish to the merchants. The Chinese and Japanese all speak 
Hawaiian and most of the talking is done in the native lan- 
guage. 

Wouldn't you like to see the fish? There must be over a 
hundred different kinds in the market, and they are of every 
size, shape, and color. Have you heard of the lady in Honolulu 
who spends most of her time in making paintings of fish ? She 
has done fifty in water-colors. No two are alike. Perhaps 
some day you will see these paintings on exhibition in San 
Francisco. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 135 

There is one stall in the market just filled with dried fish. 
Some of these are very tiny. The natives are fond of dried 
fish. They also like to buy the baked fish, salt fish, and balls 
of seaweed. The merchants tie in ti leaves what they sell to 
the Hawaiians. The white people have their purchases wrapped 
up in paper. 

The people of Honolulu do most of their marketing in the 
morning. Sometimes I go to the market with Mrs. Eeed. She 
does the buying and I carry the packages for her. Mrs. Eeed 
is very kind to me. I have worked for her ever since I left the 
Japanese school. 

(Ruth Shaw:) 

There is a sweet old Bible story about Ruth. Have you 
heard it? Mother likes to read it, so she named me Ruth. I, 
too, belong to the Hawaiian Mission Children's Society, and I 
have lived in Honolulu all my life. 

I go to the Punahou Preparatory. It is a private school for 
white pupils. When we leave the Preparatory we go to the 
high school. We used to pay tuition there, too, but now it is 
free. The high school is very select; the boys and girls are all 
gentlemanly and ladylike. 

I like to drive about Honolulu. There are many lovely 
homes surrounded by large green lawns. You will see sparrows 
everywhere. Listen, and you will hear the mynah bird scolding 
you, or the coo-dove singing mournfully. We think our hibis- 
cus hedges, flowering trees and royal palms are very beautiful. 

We are proud of our churches, schools and hospitals. Have 
you ever seen a palace? We have one in Honolulu. It is 
made of brick and the outside is cemented over. There are 
several fine government buildings. A few of these are made of 



136 TOTON. 

coral, but most of them are built of lava stone. Some of the 
sidewalks are made of coral. Our city is lighted by electricity, 
and many of the houses have telephones. 

I like to ride up to the top of Punchbowl, an extinct volcano. 
Then I can look all over Honolulu. Father often takes us up 
Tantalus Mountain. We spent last Fourth of July there. It 
is a fine, long, shady drive. We brought back many ferns. 
There are one hundred and fifty different kinds of ferns on the 
Hawaiian Islands. 

The most fun is to drive out on the Waikiki road; then we 
see the Chinese gardens, the ponds where fish are fattened for 
market, and hundreds of ducks swimming about. 

Last week we drove to the Pali up through the beautiful 
Nuuanu valley. The Pali is on the windward side of the 
island. The road is four miles long; we enjoyed the drive. 
When we reached the top, we looked over a cliff down, down, 
one thousand feet. Father told us that Kamehameha the 
Great drove the Oahu chiefs over this cliff. There is a statute 
of Kamehameha the Great in front of the Government build- 
ing. 

(Hiram Bingham:) 

I am a grandson of one of the old missionaries who came to 
Hawaii in 1820. Have you ever heard of the blue book? In 
it are the names of the children and grandchildren of the mis- 
sionaries. There are many of us, but we are now widely sepa- 
rated. We have an organization popularly known as the 
"Cousin Society," but its real name is the Hawaiian Mission 
Children's Society. Every year we receive letters from absent 
members. Some come from the United States, some from 
Japan, others from South America and Europe, and many dis- 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 137 

tant countries. These letters keep us in touch with the mis- 
sionary work done all over the world. 

I attend the high school. This year I spent my vacation at 
the Volcano House on Hawaii, the largest of the eight islands. 
Father invited one of my classmates to go with us. We ex- 
pected to have a pleasant trip, but we did not dream what was 
going to happen. 

We had been at the Volcano House but a few days when 
Mauna Loa became active. The sides of this great volcano 
opened and lava spurted forth. The fountain of fire rose to a 
height of from one to two hundred feet and then fell in a 
burning river half a mile wide and four or five miles long. 
Mauna Loa was in action all the time we were on Hawaii, and 
father took us boys over the lava beds within a few feet of the 
burning river. During the three weeks we were there we never 
grew tired of looking at the volcano throwing out its steady 
stream of lava. We imagined we saw turrets, domes, and 
minarets. One night father said, "Look, boys, and you will see 
Eiffel Tower." I never expect to see a more beautiful sight 
than Mauna Loa in action. 

There are a great many volcanoes on the islands, and the soil 
is not at all like that in your country. It is light and loose, 
and red or brown in color. I wish I had time to tell you all 
about these volcanoes. There are many interesting legends, 
some of which are better than any fairy tales you ever read. 
Perhaps when they are put in book form you will wish to read 
them. 



(Note.— A very effective ending to this play would be the singing of 
one or more stanzas of "Hawaii Ponoi," the Hawaiian national air, found 
in "Simple Songs for Little Singers," by Anna B. Tucker.) 



138 TOY ON. 



Pronunciation of Hawaiian Words. 



(w has the sound of v) 

Aholo. A tts'lo 

aloha a lo'ha 

Ewa E' wa 

hale ha'lg 

hapa haole ha pa ha^ (how) le. 

Hawaii Ha wat't 

Hawaii Nei Ha w^t't Ne.z 

Hawaii Ponoi Ha wm'? Po no? 

Kahawaii Ka ha wd\''i 

kahili ka Itf'tf 

Kalakaua Ka la kaj/(ow) a 

Kalanianaole Ka la'n'? a na o'le 

Kamehameha Ka me. 7 ha me/ ha 

Kapiolani Ka pt'o" la'n? 

Kawaiahao Ka w«t a hap'(how) 

Kawananakoa Ka wa'na na ko'a 

kukui ku k.u/'i 

Leialoha Kahalewai- ..Le/'a lo ha Ka ha'lg waf 

lei let 

luau lu aj'(ow) 

Luka Kapena Lu/ka Ka pen' a 

maile. ... .._ mat lg 

makua ma ku/a 

Mauna Loa Majj (ow)'na Lo a 

Moi Nui Mo ?' Nu/'i" 

Nuuanu Nu'u a nu 

Oo D V 

Punahou Pu na hou~ 

Pali „ Pa''tt 

ti * 

Ululani .JJljj la'rtf 

wahine. >wa hrng 

Waikiki WdTktk?' 



Thanksgiving Selmtons. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 141 



FIRST THANKSGIVING PROCLAMATION. 

"As the business of the year is now drawing toward a conclu- 
sion, we are reminded, according to the laudable usage of the 
Province, to join together in a gratful acknowledgment of the 
manifold mercies of the Divine Providence conferred upon Us 
in the passing Year: Wherefore, I have thought to appoint, 
and I do, with the advice of his Majesty' Council, appoint 
Thursday, the Third Day of December next, to be a day of 
public Thanksgiving, that we may thereupon with one Heart 
and Voice return our most Humble Thanks to Almighty God 
for the gracious Dispensations of His Providence since the last 
religious Anniversary of this kind, and especially for — that He 
has been pleased to preserve and maintain our most gracious 
Sovereign, King George, in Health and Wealth, in Peace and 
Honor, and to extend the Blessings of his Government to the 
remotest part of his Dominions; that He hath been pleased to 
bless and preserve our gracious Queen Charlotte, their Royal 
Highnesses, the Prince of Wales, the Princess Dowager of 
Wales, and all the Royal family, and, by the frequent encrease 
of the Royal Issue, to assure us the Continuation of the Bless- 
ings which we derive from that illustrious House; that He hath 
been pleased to prosper the whole British Empire by the Preser- 
vation of Peace, the Increase of Trade, and the opening of new 
Sources of National Wealth; and now particularly that He hath 
been pleased to favor the people of this Province with healthy 
and kindly Seasons, and to bless the Labour of their Hands 
with a Sufficiency of the Produce of the Earth and of the Sea. 

"And I do exhort all Ministers of the Gospel, with their sev- 



142 TOYON. 

eral Congregations, within this Province, that they assemble 
on the said Day in a Solemn manner to return their most hum- 
ble thanks to Almighty God for these and all other of His 
Mercies vouchsafed unto us, and to beseech Him, notwithstand- 
ing our Unworthiness, to continue His gracious Providence 
over us. And I command and enjoin all Magistrates and Civil 
Officers to see that the said Day be observed as a Day set apart 
for religious worship, and that no servile Labour be performed 
thereon. 

"Given at the Council Chamber in Boston the Fourth Day of 
November, 1767, in the Eighth year of the Eeign of our Sov- 
ereign Lord George the Third, by the Grace of God, of Great 
Britain, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, &c. 

"By His Excellency's Command, FEA. BEENAED. 

"God Save The King." A. Oliver, Sec'ry. 



THANKSGIVING DAY. 

Thanksgiving day is the one national festival which turns 
on home life. It is not a day of ecclesiastical saints. It' is not 
a national anniversary. It is not a day celebrating a religious 
event. It is a day of Nature. It is a day of thanksgiving for 
the year's history. And it must pivot on the household. It 
is the one great festival of our American life that pivots on the 
household. Like a true Jewish festival, it spreads a bounte- 
ous table; for the Jews knew how near to the stomach lay all 
the moral virtues. 

A typical Thanksgiving dinner represents everything that 
has grown in all the summer fit to make glad the heart of man. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 143 

It is not a riotous feast. It is a table piled high, among the 
group of rollicking young and the sober joy of the old, with the 
treasures of the growing year, accepted with rejoicings and 
interchange of many festivities as a token of gratitude to Al- 
mighty God. 

Eemember God's bounty in the year. String the pearls of 
His favor. Hide the dark parts, except so far as they are 
breaking out in light! Give this one day to thanks, to joy, to 
gratitude! 

— Henry Ward Beecher. 

THANKSGIVING. 

Thanksgiving is a day set apart by government for acknowl- 
edging the mercies and the bounties we have received from 
God. 

While we are joyous in meeting around our well-filled tables, 
let us not think our day well-spent until we have given from 
our store to bring cheer to some less fortunate neighbor. 

— Selected. 

THE FIRST THANKSGIVING. 

The first Thanksgiving in New England was kept by our 
Pilgrim Fathers. The early settlers were without food, and 
suffered many hardships. The last of the corn had been eaten, 
and they had only a few nuts to sustain life. In their need a 
day of fasting and prayer was appointed. 

' On that day a ship came into harbor, bringing food for the 
starving colonists. The day of fasting was changed to one of 
thanksgiving, the first one kept in America. 

—Selected. 



144 TOTON. 



THE FIEST THANKSGIVING DAY. 

"And now/' said the governor, gazing abroad on the piled-up 

store 
Of the sheaves that dotted the clearings and covered the 

meadows o'er, 
" 'Tis meet that we render praises because of this yield of grain; 
'Tis meet that the Lord of harvest be thanked for his sun and 

rain. 

"And, therefore, I, William Bradford (by the grace of God 

today, 
And the franchise of this good people), governor of Plymouth, 

say, 
Through virtue of vested power, ye shall gather with one accord 
And hold, in the month of November, Thanksgiving unto the 

Lord. 

"He hath granted us peace and plenty, and the quiet we've 

sought so long; 
He hath thwarted the wily savage, and kept him from wrack 

and wrong. 
And unto our feast the sachem shall be bidden, that he may 

know 
We worship his own Great Spirit, who maketh the harvest grow. 

"So shoulder your matchlocks, masters; there is hunting of all 

degrees; 
And fisherman, take your tackle and scour for spoils the seas; 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 145 

And maidens and dames of Plymouth, your delicate crafts 

employ 
To honor our first Thanksgiving, and make it a feast of joy! 

"We fail of the fruits and dainties, we fail of the old home 

cheer; 
Ah! these are the lightest losses, mayhap, that befall us here. 
But see! in our open clearings, how golden the melons lie! 
Enrich them with sweets and spices, and give us the pumpkin 

pie!" 

So, bravely the preparations went on for the autumn feast: 
The deer and the bear were slaughtered; wild game, from the 

greatest to least, 
Was heaped in the colony cabins; brown home-brew served for 

wine; 
And the plum and the grape of the forest for orange and peach 

pine. 

At length came the day appointed; the snow had begun to fall, 
But the clang of the meeting-house belfrey rang merrily ovei? 

all. 
And summoned the folk of Plymouth, who hastened, with glad 

accord, 
To listen to Elder Brewster as he fervently thanked the Lord. 

In his seat sat Governor Bradford; men, matrons, and maidens 

fair. 
Miles Stand ish and all his soldiers, with corselet and sword, 

were there; 

10 



146 TOYON. 

And sobbing and tears and gladness had each in its turn the 
sway, 

For the grave of sweet Eose Standish o'ershadowed Thanks- 
giving Day. 

And when Massoit, the sachem, sat down with his hundred 

braves, 
And ate the very riches of gardens and woods and waves, 
And looked on the granaried harvest, with a blow on his brawny 

chest, 
He muttered: "The Good Spirit loves His white children best!" 
— Margaret J. Preston. ("Popular Educator.") 



THANKSGIVING. 

It is coming — it is coming — be the weather dark or fair; 
See the joy upon the faces — feel the blessings in the air. 
Get the dining-chamber ready — let the kitchen stove be filled; 
Into gold-dust pound the pumpkins — have the fatted turkey 

killed; 
Tie the chickens in a bundle by their yellow, downy legs; 
Hunt the barn, with hay upholstered, for the ivory-prisoned 

eggs; 
'Tis the next of a procession thro' the centuries on its way; 
Get a thorough welcome ready for the grand old day. 

—Will Carleton. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 147 



THANKSGIVING DAY. 



Leaves of purple, scarlet, gold, 
Bring sweet memories of old; 
Far away a farmhouse lies, 
'Neath the hlue of sunlit skies, 
And the days have shorter grown, 
All the autumn grain is mown; 
Oh, the hearts, so bright and gay, 
Kept with us Thanksgiving day. 

'Bound the hearth the laughter rang; 
Oh, the jocund songs we sang! 
Years have kept those records dear 
Of our youth's Thanksgiving cheer. 
Lo! the day is here once more, 
Fraught with memories of yore; 
Visions of the feast, the joy — 
Time can never these destroy. 

Once again we join the glee, 
And the season's revelry! 
On the board the turkey lies, 
'Bound it ranged the pumpkin pies. 
Ah, the good old-fashioned cheer! 
Ah, the songs so sweet and dear! 
Where are now the comrades gay 
Kept with us Thanksgiving day? 



14$ TOTON. 

Thanks we give for friendship old, 
For love's blessings manifold; 
Thanks for all that Time has brought, 
All the kindness it has wrought; 
In our hearts, oh! still may we, 
Looking o'er life's rough sea, 
Keep and honor while we may 
Thoughts of thee, Thanksgiving day! 

— Selected. 



NOVEMBER 

My sisters are September and October, bright and gay; 
They're beautiful in richer charms, while I am brown and gray: 
Yet all their glorious days cannot compare with one I bring; 
This one, the loveliest of the fall, Thanksgiving day, I sing. 
— Selected. (From "Primary Education.") 



THE FESTIVAL MONTH. 

November has come with its festival day, 
The sweetest home feast of the year, 

When the little ones mingle in frolic and play, 
And share in the Thanksgiving cheer. 

And let us remember that tale of the past, 
Of the Pilgrims who gathered their band, 

And offered up thanks for the corn when at last 
It waved o'er the famishing land. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 149 

For hunger had wasted those strong, patient men, 

Who struggled and labored in pain, 
And the blessing of plenty which gladdened them then 

Gave courage and hope once again. 

And the fame of their bravery never decays, 

While year after year rolls away, 
Since the morning that ushered in prayer and in praise, 

The birth of our Thanksgiving day. 

— "Youth's Companion." (In "Primary Education/') 



GOOD-BYE, LITTLE FLOWEKS! 

Hark! through the pine boughs, 

Cold wails the blast! 
Birds south are flying, 
Summer is dying, 

Flower-time is past. 

Cold are November skies, 

Sunless and drear. 
Golden-rod, eyelids close; 
Asters, tuck in your toes; 

Winter is here! 

"Gopd-bye, little flowers!" 
The icy winds sing; 
Snow, blanket them over; 
Sleep well, little clover! 
— Selected. (In "American Primary Teacher.") 



150 TOYON. 



NOVEMBER 



Where are the flowers, the fair young flowers, that lately sprang 

and stood 
In brighter light and softer airs, a beauteous sisterhood? 
Alas! they all are in their graves, the gentle race of flowers 
Are lying in their lowly beds, with the fair and good of ours. 
The rain is falling where they lie, but the cold November rain 
Call not from out the gloomy earth the lovely ones again. 

The windflower and the violet, they perished long ago, 
And the brier-rose and the orchis died amid the summer glow. 
But on the hills the golden-rod, and the aster in the wood, 
And the yellow sunflower by the brook in autumn beauty stood, 
Till fell the frost from the clear cold heaven, as falls the plague 

on men, 
And the brightness of their smile was gone from upland, glade 

and glen. 
—From "The Death of the Flowers," by Wm. 

Cullen Bryant. (In "Popular Educator/') 



CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 

With summer and sun behind you, 
With winter and shade before, 

You crowd in your regal splendor, 
Through the autumn's closing door. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 151 

White as the snow that is coining, 

Eed as the rose that is gone, 
Gold as the heart of the lilies, 

Pink as the flush of the dawn. 
Confident, winsome, stately, 

You throng in the wane of the year, 
Trooping, an army with banners, 

When the leafless woods are sere. 

— Selected. (In "Primary Education.") 



DOWN TO SLEEP. 

November woods are bare and still; 
November days are clear and bright; 

Each noon burns up the morning chill; 
The morning snow is gone by night. 
Each day my steps grow slow, grow light, 

As through the woods I reverent creep, 

Watching all things lie "down to sleep." 

I never knew before what beds, 
Fragrant to smell and soft to touch, 

The forest sifts and shapes and spreads; 
I never knew before how much 
Of human sound there is in such 

Low tones as through the forest sweep, 

When all things lie "down to sleep." 



152 TOY ON. 

Each day I find new coverlids 
Tucked in, and more sweet eyes shut tight: 

Sometimes the viewless mother bids 
Her ferns kneel down full in my sight; 
I hear their chorus of "Good-night!" 

And half I smile and half I weep, 

While they all lie "down to sleep." 



— H. H. 



NOVEMBER PARTY. 

November gave a party — 

The leaves, by hundreds, came— 
The Chestnuts, Oaks, and Maples, 

And leaves of every name; 
The sunshine spread a carpet, 

And everything was grand; 
Miss Weather led the dancing, 

Professor Wind, the band. 

The Chestnuts came in yellow, 

The Oaks in crimson dress; 
The lovely Misses Maple 

In scarlet looked their best. 
All balanced to their partners, 

And gaily fluttered by; 
The sight was like a rainbow, 

New-fallen from the sky. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 158 

Then, in the rusty hollows, 

At hide-and-seek they played. 
The party closed at sundown, 

And everybody stayed. 
Professor Wind played louder, 

They flew along the ground, 
And there the party ended, 

In "hands across, all round!" 

— From "Song Stories for Little People." 



WE THANK THEE. 

For flowers, that bloom about our feet, 
For tender grass, so fresh and sweet, 
For song of bird and hum of bee, 
For all things fair we hear or see — 
Father in Heaven, we thank Thee! 

For blue of stream and blue of sky, 
For pleasant shade of branches high, 
For fragrant air and cooling breeze, 
For beauty of the blooming trees — 
Father in Heaven, we thank Thee! 

For mother-love and father-care, 
For brothers strong and sisters fair, 
For love at home and school each day, 
For guidance lest we go astray — 
Father in Heaven, we thank Thee! 



154 TOTON. 

For Thy dear everlasting arms, 
That hear us o'er all ills and harms; 
For blessed words of long ago 
That help us now Thy will to know — 
Father in Heaven, we thank Thee! 

— Ealph Waldo Emerson. 



WE THANK THEE. 

For peace and for plenty, for freedom, for rest, 
For joy in the land from the east to the west, 
For the dear, starry flag, with its red, white and blue, 
We thank Thee from hearts that are honest and true. 

For waking and sleeping, for blessings to be, 
We children would offer our praises to Thee; 
For God is our Father, and bends from above 
To keep the world round in the smile of his love. 

— Margaret Sangster. 



But ! Thou bounteous Giver of all good, 
Thou art, of all Thy gifts, Thyself the crown! 
Give what thou canst; without Thee we are poor, 
And with Thee rich; take what Thou wilt away. 

— Cowper. 



j 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 155 

PRAISE GOD. 
(For Seven Pupils.) 

(First:) 
Praise God for wheat, so white and sweet, of which to make our 
Dread. 

(Second:) 
Praise God for yellow corn, with which His waiting world is fed. 

(Third:) 
Praise God for fish, 'and flesh, and fowl, He gave to men for 
food. 

(Fourth:) 
Praise God for every creature which He made and called it good. 

(Fifth:) 
Praise God for winter's store of ice, praise God for summer's 
heat. 

(Sixth:) 
Praise God for the fruit-tree bearing seed, "to you it is for 
meat." 

(Seventh:) 
Praise God for all the bounty by which the world is fed. 

(AH:) 
Praise God, ye children all to whom he gives your daily bread. 

— Selected. 



156 TOYON. 



THANKSGIVING. 

Oh, give thanks for summer and winter, 

Give thanks for the sunshine and rain; 

For the flowers, the fruits, and the grasses, 

And the bountiful harvest of grain; 

For the winds that sweep over our prairies; 

Distributing vigor and health — 

Oh, give thanks to our Heavenly Father 

For nature's abundance of wealth! 

Oh, give thanks for loved friends and relations, 

For sweet converse with those that are dear; 

Give thanks for our country's salvation, 

From famine and war the past year; 

That, while kingdoms and empires have fallen, 

Our government firmly has stood — 

Oh, give thanks to our Heavenly Father 

For all this abundance of good! 

Give thanks for each lawful ambition, 
That gives a new impulse to do; 
Give thanks for each fond hope's fruition, 
And all of God's goodness to you. 
Forget not whence cometh the power, 
That all of these blessings secures — 
Oh, give thanks to our Heavenly Father, 
Whose mercy forever endures. 

— Housekeeper. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 157 



PILGEIMS. 



They must upward still and onward, who would keep abreast 
of Truth, 

Lo, before us gleam her camp-fires! We ourselves must pil- 
grims be, 

Launch our Mayflower, and steer boldly through the desperate 
winter sea, 

Nor attempt the Future's portal with the Past's blood-rusted 
key. 

— Lowell. 

A THANKSGIVING PEAYEE. 

Oh, Thou, Grand Builder of the Universe! 

Who mak'st the rolling worlds and peoplest them 

With creatures — Who watchest the sparrow's fall 

And shap'st the fate of nations — 

Hear us, we beseech Thee! Bend low Thine par, 

And in Thy mercy heed, while now the Nation 

Kneels, with her thank-offering. 

Another year 
Upon the circled track of Time has passed, 
And still she holds Thy favor. Oh! give her, 
We implore Thee, a sense of all Thy blessings — 
A full sense to know, so in the knowledge 
She may worthier be to wear them. 
All this, Great Supreme! 
She lowly asks through him Thou lovest. 

— Selected. 



158 TOTON. 



THANKSGIVING HYMN 

To the Giver of all blessings, 

Let our voices rise in praise, 
For the joys and countless mercies 

He hath sent to crown our days; 
For the homes of peace and plenty, 

And a land so fair and wide, 
For the labor of the noonday, 

And the rest of eventide; 

For the wealth of golden harvests, 

For the sunlight and the rain, 
For the grandeur of the ocean, 

For the mountain and the plain; 
For the ever-changing seasons 

And the comforts which they bring, 
For Thy love, so grand, eternal, 

We would thank Thee, our King. 

— Selected. 



THANKSGIVING. 

Lord, for the erring thought, 
Not into evil wrought; 
Lord, for the wicked will, 
Betrayed and baffled still; 
For the heart from itself kept, 
Our thanksgiving accept. 



HOLIDAY -RECITATIONS. 

For ignorant hopes that were 
Broken to our blind prayer; 
For pain, death, sorrow, sent 
Unto our chastisement; 
For all loss of seeming good, 
Quicken our gratitude. 

— Howells. 



TO WHOM SHALL WE GIVE THANKS? 

A little hoy had sought the pump 
From whence the sparkling water burst, 
And drank with eager joy the draught 
That kindly quenched his raging thirst; 
Then gracefully he touch'd his cap — 
"I thank you, Mr. Pump," he said, 
"For this nice drink you've given me !" 
(This little boy had been well bred.) 

Then said the Pump, "My little man, 

You're welcome to what I have done; 

But I am not the one to thank — 

I only help the water run." 
"0, then," the little fellow said, 

(Polite he always meant to be !) 
"Cold Water, please accept my thanks; 

You have been very kind to me." 



160 TOTON. 



"Ah!" said Cold Water, "don't thank me; 
Far up the hillside lives the Spring 
That sends me forth with generous hand 
To gladden every living thing." 

"I'll thank the Spring, then," said the boy, 
And gracefully he bowed his head. 

"0, don't thank me, my little man," 
The Spring with silvery accents said — 

"0, don't thank me, for what am I 
Without the dew and summer rain? 
Without their aid I ne'er could quench 
Your thirst, my little boy, again." 
"0, well, then," said the little boy, 
"I'll gladly thank the Eain and Dew." 
"Pray, don't fhank us; without the Sun 
We could not fill one cup for you." 

"Then, Mr. Sun, ten thousand thanks 
For all that you have done for me." 

"Stop!" said the Sun, with blushing face; 

"My little fellow, don't thank me; 
'Twas from the ocean's mighty stores 
I drew the draught I gave to thee." 

"0, Ocean, thanks, then," said the boy; 
It echo'd back, "Not unto me — 

"Not unto me; but unto Him 
Who formed the depths in which I lie ; 
Go give thy thanks, my little boy, 
To Him who will thy wants supply." 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 161 

The boy took off his cap, and said, 
In tones so gentle and subdued, 
"0 God, I thank Thee for this gift; 
Thou art the Giver of all good." 

— Anon. 



HAEVEST HYMN. 

Once more the liberal year laughs out 
O'er richer stores than gems of- gold; 
Once more with harvest song and shout 
Is nature's boldest triumph told. 

Oh, favors old, yet ever new; 

Oh, blessings with the sunshine sent. 

The bounty overruns our due, 

The fullness shames our discontent. 

Who murmurs at his lot to-day? 
Who scorns his native fruit and bloom, 
Or sighs for dainties far away, 
Besides the bounteous board of home ? 

Thank heaven, instead, that Freedom's arm 
Can change a rocky soil to gold; 
And brave and generous lives can warm 
A clime with northern ices cold. 

And by these altars wreathed with flowers, 
And fields with fruits awake again, 
Thanksgiving for the golden hours, 
The earlier and the latter rain. 

— Whittier. 



11 



162 TOYON. 



THE PUMPKIN. 



greenly and fair, in the lands of the sun, 
The rivers of the gourd and the rich melon run; 
And the rock, and the tree, and the cottage unfold 
"With broad leaves all greenness, and blossoms all gold, 
Like that which o'er Nineveh's prophet once grew, 
While he waited to know that his warning was true, 
And longed for the stormcloud, and listened in vain 
For the rush of the whirlwind and the red-fire rain. 

On the banks of the Xenil, the dark Spanish maiden 
Comes up with the fruit of the tangled vine laden; 
And the Creole of Cuba laughs out to behold 
Though orange leaves shining the broad spheres of gold; 
Yet, with dearer delight from his home in the North, 
On the fields of his harvest the Yankee looks forth 
Where crook-necks are coiling and yellow fruit shines 
And the sun of September melts down on his vines. 

Ah! on Thanksgiving Day, when from East and from West, 
From North and from South come the pilgrim and guest, 
When the gray-haired New Englander sees, 'round his board. 
The old, broken links of affection restored; 
When the care-wearied man seeks his mother once more, 
And the worn matron smiled where the girl smiled before, 
What moistened the lip and what dampened the eye? 
What calls back the past like the rich pumpkin pie ? 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 163 

0, fruit loved of boyhood! — the old days recalling! 

When wood grapes were purpling and brown nuts were falling ! 

When wild, ugly faces we carved in its skin, 

Glaring out through the plark with a candle within ! 

When we laughed round the cornheapwith hearts all in tune— 

Our chair a broad pumpkin — our lantern the moon. 

Telling tales of the fairy who traveled, like steam, 

In a pumpkin-shell coach with two rats for her team! 

Then thanks for thy present! None sweeter or better 
E'er smoked from an oven, or circled a platter! 
Fairer hands never wrought at a pastry more fine, 
Brighter eyes never watched over its baking than thine. 
And the prayer which my heart is too full to express 
Swells my heart that thy shadow may never be less. 
That the days of thy lot may be lengthened below 
And the fame of thy worth like a pumpkin- vine grow! 
And thy life be as sweet, and its last sunset sky, 
Golden tinted and fair as thine own pumpkin pie ! 

— Whittier. 



The summer grains are harvested; the stubble-fields are dry, 
Where June winds rolled, in light and shade, the pale-green 

waves of rye; 
But still, on gentle hill-slopes, in valleys fringed with wood, 
Ungathered, bleaching in the sun, the heavy corn-crop stood. 

Bent low by autumn's wind and rain, through husks that, dry 

and sere, 
Unfolded from their ripened charge, shone out the yellow ear; 



164 TOYON. 

Beneath, the turnip lay concealed, in many a verdant fold, 
And glistened in the slanting light the pumpkin's sphere of. 
gold. 

There wrought the busy harvesters; and many a creaking .wain 
Bore slowly to the long barn floor its load of husk and grain; 
Till broad and red, as when he rose, the sun sank down at last, 
And like a merry guest's farewell, the day in brightness passed. 
— Whittier. ("Popular Educator.") 



A THANKSGIVING TREASURE. 

We planted the seed in a well-spaded garden; 

We covered it over with earth soft and warm, 
And watched every day for the first tender leaflets, 

Then carefully guarded and kept them from harm. 

The kind summer sun sent his warmth to our treasure, 
Which put forth new leaves as he lighted the way; 

The rain and the dew gave it drink when it thirsted, 
And thus it grew stronger and larger each day. 

Then a bud from the stem raised its head, one bright morning, 

And slowly unfolded to greet the warm day; 
It nodded and smiled at the green leaves about it, 

Then folded its petals and faded away. 

Where the blossom had grown we discovered a something, 

'Twas green and so hard it seemed almost like wood, 
But grandfather smiled at our questions and answered, 
"The cane turns to sugar when children are good." 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 165 

The green ball grew large as the evenings grew longer, 
And then, as Jack Frost brought the first thought of cold, 

The green ball turned yellow. It shone in the garden 
As round as the sun and as yellow as gold. 

A bright happy day to our land is soon coming 

And grandfather says to be good we must try, 
So the cane may turn into the sweetest of sugar — 

Our hard yellow ball to a Thanksgiving pie. 

— By Cora J. Alberger, in "Popular Educator." 

THANKSGIVING JOYS. 

Cartloads of pumpkins as yellow as gold, 

Onions in silvery strings, 

Shining red apples and clusters of grapes, 

Nuts, and a host of good things, 

Chickens and turkeys and little fat pigs — 

These are what Thanksgiving brings. 

Work is forgotten and play-time begins; 

From office and schoolroom and hall; 

Fathers and mothers and uncles and aunts, 

Nieces and nephews, and all 

Speed away home, as they hear from afar 

The voice of old Thanksgiving call. 

Now is the time to forget all your cares, 

Cast every trouble away; 

Think of your blessings, remember your joys, 

Don't be afraid to be gay. 

None are too old and none are too young 

To frolic on Thanksgiving day. 

— "Youth's Companion." 



166 TOYON. 



HIS GOLDEN CORK 



Heap high the farmer's wintry hoard! 

Heap high the golden corn! 

The richer gifts has autumn poured 

From out her lavish horn ! 

Let other lands, exulting, glean 

The apple from the pine, 

The orange from its glossy green, 

The cluster from the vine. 

"We better love the hardy gift 
Our rugged vales bestow, 
To cheer us when the storm shall drift 
Our harvest-fields with snow. 
But let the good old crop adorn 
The hills our fathers trod; 
Still let us for His golden corn 
Send up our thanks to God. 

— Selected. 



THANKSGIVING DAY. 

Over the river and through the wood, 

To grandfather's house we go, 
The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh 

Through the white and drifted snow. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 167 

/ 

Over the river and through the wood, 

Oh, how the wind does blow! 
It stings the toes and bites the nose, 

As over the ground we go. 

Over the river and through the wood, 

Trot fast, my dapple-gray! 
Spring over the ground like a hunting hound, 

For this is Thanksgiving day. 

Over the river and through the wood, 

And straight through the barnyard gate; 

We seem to go extremely slow — 
It is so hard to wait ! 

Over the river and through the wood, 

Now Grandmother's cap I spy, 
Hurrah for the fun ! Is the pudding done ? 

Hurrah for the pumpkin pie! 

— L. M. Childs. ("Popular Educator.") 



GKANDMA'S PUMPKIN PIES. 

My mother's pies are very good 

For common days, but 0, my eyes ! 
You ought to be at Grandma Gray's, 
Where we all go Thanksgiving days, 
And taste of Grandma's pumpkin pies. 



168 TOTON. 

The aunts and uncles all are there, 

And cousins, too, of every size; 
And when the turkey's "had his day," 
And Grandma's pudding's stowed away, 

Then next will come the pumpkin pies. 

Oh, apple pie is very good, 

And chocolate, cream, and mince, likewise; 
But if you knew my Grandma Gray 
And tried her cooking, you would say, 

Hurrah for Grandma's pumpkin pies! 

—"Popular Educator." 

OUT FOR A WALK. 

A Jack-o'-lantern went for a walk 

With a turkey gobbler gay. 
The time they chose for their promenade 

Was the night of Thanksgiving Day. 
Said the Jack-o'-lantern, "Let us go 

And into the window peep, 
Where Billy Boy, tired out at last, 

Is lying fast asleep." 

On tip-toe, then, up the hill they stole — 
"We'll frighten him well," said they; 
"Then he'll not want to eat all our brothers up 

On next Thanksgiving Day." 
"Gobble, gobble!" then cried the gobbler gay, 
And Billy woke at the sound; 
He sat up in bed and rubbed his eyes, 
And began to look around. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. It 

But when he saw the grinning face, 

And the bird with bristling wings, 
He thought of witches and brownies and imps, 

And all those kind of things. 
And he gave a scream and hid his face, 
And his mother soon was near. 
"What is the matter, my son?" she said. 
"You are feeling ill, I fear." 

"They are after me! They are after me!" 

Cried Billy with streaming eye; 
"You are dreaming," his mother said. "You've had 
Too much turkey and pumpkin pie"P 
But the Jack-o'-lantern grinned with glee, 

And whispered, "Now, come away, 
We'll stay out all night and find all the boys 

Who've eaten too much to-day." 
— L. F. Armitage in "American Primary Teacher." 



A BOY'S OPINION. 

Oh, Valentine day is well enough, 

And Fourth of July is jolly, 
And Christmas time is beautiful, 

With its gifts and wreaths of holly; 
New Year's calling is rather nice, 

And Hallowe'en sports are funny, 
And a May-day party isn't bad 

When the weather is warm and sunny. 



170 TOYON. 

Oh, all of them are well enough; 

But the day that is best worth living 
Is when we all go to grandmamma's 

To a splendid big Thanksgiving. 

— Emma C. Dowd. 



THANKSGIVING LETTER. 

A letter once poor Katie wrote, 

And on its way it sped 
One bright Thanksgiving morning. 

'Twas thug the letter read: 

'0 farmer man! farmer man! 

Do please to come this way, 
Because we want a turkey 

On this Thanksgiving Day. 
0, do you think that none of us 

Here in this narrow lane 
Have nothing to be thankful for, 

In spite of toil and pain? 
I have two hands with which to work, 

Two feet with which to walk, 
And I can hear, and I can speak, 

And with my mama talk. 
And when I am cold and hungry, 

I then can sing a song 
And think I'm warm. When headaches come, 

They never do last long. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 171 

With so much to be thankful for, 

I'd keep Thanksgiving Day; 
So bring a turkey, and some time 

You'll surely get your pay. 
Leave it at Bragg's Lane, number five, 

And please wait for my thanks." 
And the postman gave this letter 

To crabbed Farmer Hanks, 

Who hung his biggest turkey 

That day on Katie's door. 
With it this note: "You've made me, child, 

More thankful than before." 

— Ed. Gazette. 



KECITATION FOE THE LITTLE FOLKS. 

Little songs, all full of joy, little lips can sing; 
Little voices, soft and sweet, may their tribute bring; 
Little verses can express what we wish to tell 
Of a loving care that keeps what little folks so well. 

Kindly on us little ones beams a Father's smile; 
Tender care and watchfulness guard us all the while; 
For the pleasant things we have, clothing, shelter, food, 
We would, in our happy songs, show our gratitude. 

— Selected. 



172 TOYON. 



WHICH? 



Two little old ladies, one grave, one gay, 
In the selfsame cottage lived day by day; 
One could not be happy, "Because," she said, 
"So many children were hungry for bread." 
And she really had not the heart to smile 
"When the world was so wicked all the while. 
The other old lady smiled all day long, 
As she knitted or sewed or crooned a song; 
She had not time to be sad, she said, 
When hungry children were crying for bread; 
So she baked and knitted and gave away, 
And declared the world grew better each day. 
Two little old ladies, one grave, one gay; 
Now, which do you think chose the wiser way ? 

— St. Nicholas. 



THANKSGIVING. 

The ripe, rosy apples are all gathered in; 

They wait for the winter in barrel and bin; 

And nuts for the children, a plentiful store, 

Are spread out to dry on the broad attic floor; 

The great golden pumpkins, that grew such a size, 

Are ready to make into Thanksgiving pies; 

And all the good times that the children hold dear 

Have come around again with the feast of the year. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 173 

Now, what shall we do in our bright, happy homes 
To welcome this time of good times as it comes? 
And what do you say is the very best way 
To show we are grateful on Thanksgiving Day? 
The best thing that hearts that are thankful can do 
Is this: to make thankful some other hearts, too; 
For lives that are grateful, and sunny and glad, 
To carry their sunshine to lives that are sad; 
For children who have all they want and to spare, 
Their good things with poor little children to share; 
For this will bring blessing and this is the way 
To show we are thankful on Thanksgiving Day. 

— Selected. 



JOHN WHITE'S THANKSGIVING. 

"Thanksgiving! for what?" 

And he muttered a curse — 
"For the plainest of food 

And an empty purse ; 
For a life of hard work 

And the shabbiest clothes ? 
But it's idle to talk 

Of a poor man's woes. 
Let the rich give thanks; 

It is they who can — 
There is nothing in life 

For a laboring man." 



174 TOTON. 



So said John White 

To his good wife Jane, 
And o'er her face 

Stole a look of pain. 
"Nothing, dear John?" 
And he thought again; 
Then glanced more kindly 

Down on Jane. 
"I was wrong/' he said; 

"I'd forgotten you; 
And I've my health 
And the baby, too." 

And the baby crowed — 

'Twas a bouncing boy — 
And o'er Jane's face 

Came a look of joy; 
And she kissed her John 

As he went away; 
And he said to himself, 

As he worked that day: 
"I was wrong, very wrong; 

I'll not grumble again; 
I should be thankful 

For baby and Jane." 

— Selected. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 175 



THAT THINGS AEE NO WOESE, SIEE. 

From the time of our old Eevolution, 
When we threw off the yoke of the King, 

Has descended this phrase to remember, 
To remember, to say, and to sing; 

'Tis a phrase that is full of a lesson; 
It can comfort and warm like a fire; 

It can cheer us when days are the darkest : 
"That things are no worse, my sire." 

'Twas King George's prime minister said it, 

To the king, who had questioned, in heat, 
What he meant by appointing Thanksgiving 

In such days of ill-luck and defeat; 
"What's the cause of your day of Thanksgiving ? 

Tell me, pray," cried the king in his ire. 
Said the minister, "This is the reason — 

That things are no worse, my sire." 

There has nothing come down, in the story, 

Of the answer returned by the king. 
But I think on his throne he sat silent, 

And confessed it a sensible thing; 
For there's never a burden so heavy 

That it might not be heavier still; 
There is never so bitter a sorrow 

That the cup could not fuller fill. 



176 TOYON. 

And what of care and of sadness 

Our life and our duties may bring, 
There's always the cause for Thanksgiving 

Which the minister told to the king. 

'Tis a lesson to sing and to remember; 

It can comfort and warm like a fire, 

Can cheer us when days are the darkest, 

"That things are no worse, my sire." 

— Helen Hunt Jackson. 



THE PUKITAN'S THANKSGIVING. 

"Why do they keep Thanksgiving?" 

Asked Golden-hair of me, 

As in the twilight shadows 

She sat beside my knee; 
"Why does it come in winter, 

When days are dark and cold, 

And not when summer's sunshine 

Is pouring floods of gold?" 

I brush from her snowy forehead 
The shining waves of hair, 
For she is bright and bonny, 
With not a thought of care; 
"If Golden-hair will listen, 
I'll tell the reason why 
The people keep Thanksgiving 
Under a wintry sky. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 177 

"Long, long ago, my darling, 
When the country here was new, 
There sailed across the ocean 
A good ship, strong and true; 
She brought brave men and women, 
"Who toiled with heart and hand 
To build their household altars 
Within the strange, new land. 

"All day in the fragrant forest 
The settlers felled the trees, 
And the ringing sound of axes 
Was borne upon the breeze; 
And far within the clearings 
Their humble homes were made, 
Where birds sang in the thickets 
And streams of water played. 

"But once there came a summer 
With storms of sleet and snow 
That froze the tender branches, 
And laid the young crops low; 
The men toiled, worn and weary, 
All day in the barren field, 
But the harvest brought them only 
A small and scanty yield. 

"And faith began to waver, 
And the women prayed and wept, 
For the children must be nourished 
With the small supplies they kept; 
12 



178 TOTON. 

Until one day the preacher, 
His kind face lined with care, 
Had called his flock together 
To meet, and offer prayer. 

"But hark! a sudden clamor 
Has risen in the town; 
And look! within the harbor 
A ship sails slowly down 
Over the dancing water, 
Over the crested wave — 
They know that she brings them plenty 
To help, sustain, and save. 

"And far from over the water 
There sounds a ringing cheer, 
And then, before they answer, 
Another, loud and clear: 
And loosened from their moorings, 
The boats have sailed away, 
While the gallant ship has anchored 
In the shelter of the bay. 

"Kich are the stores she brings them 
Of welcome food and wine; 
And hands are clasped in greeting, 
And joyous faces shine; 
There is warmth and hope in future, 
There is corn in golden store 
To last till cold is ended, 
And the summer comes once more. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 179 

" f God bless our friends in England!' 
The gray-haired preacher said, 
As on the sands the people 
Knelt with uncovered head. 
'We thank the God who leads us 
By many winding ways, 
And changed our supplications 
To joyful songs of praise/ 

"And this is why, my darling, 
In the fading of the year, 
When the yellow moon is shining, 
And nights are cold and clear; 
When purple grapes have ripened, 
And autumn brought its hoard, 
We call our friends together 
Around the festal board." 

God bless our brave New England ! 
Her hills in grandeur rise; 
Her storms are fierce and raging, 
But blue her smiling skies; 
Proud are her sons and daughters, 
Who own her noble sway, 
Of the grand old pilgrim fathers 
Who kept Thanksgiving Day. 

— Arthur's Home Magazine. 



180 TOYON. 



AMONG THE APPLES. 



Red, and russet, and yellow, 

> Lying here in a heap — 
Pippins rounded and mellow; 

Greenings for winter keep; 
Seek-no-furthers, whose blushing 

The soul of a saint would try, 
Till his face showed the crimson flushing 

The cheek of a northern spy. 

Hid from the winter weather, 

Safe from the wind and sleet, 
Here in a pile together 

Eusset and pippin meet. 
And in this dim and dusty 

Old cellar they fondly hold 
A breath like the grapes made musty 

By the summer's radiant gold. 

Each seems to hold a vagrant 

Sunbeam lost from the sky, 
When lily blooms were fragrant 

Walls for the butterfly; 
And when the snow was flying, 

What feast in the hoarded store 
Of crimson and yellow lying 

Heaped high on the sandy floor ! 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 181 

Fruitage of bright spring splendor, 

Of leaf and blossom-time, 
That no tropic land can lend, or 

Take from this frosty clime — 
Fruit for the hearthstone meeting, 

Whose flavor naught can destroy, 
How you make my heart's swift beating 

Throb with the pulse of a boy! 

Apples, scarlet and golden, 

Apples, juicy and tart, 
Bringing again the olden 

Joy to the weary heart. 
You send the swift thoughts sweeping 

Through wreckage of time and tears, 
To that hidden chamber keeping 

The gladness of youth's bright years. 

— T. S. Collier. 



THE CAT'S THANKSGIVING SOLILOQUY. 

I'm just about tired of waiting 

For my Thanksgiving treat; 
I see them about the table, 

And they eat, and eat, and eat. 
They do not think of poor pussy, 

Who has had so long to wait; 
Why doesn't some one remember 

That it's grown very late? 



182 TOYON. 

And haven't I smelt that turkey 

Since into the oven it went? 
If they'd give me just one drumstick, 

Why, then, I'd be content. 
But, no! they sit there talking 

And laughing aloud with glee; 
I wish that some one among them 

Would throw down a bone to me. 
There's that greedy little Teddy, 

Three times he's passed his plate, 
And that turkey's growing smaller 

At a very rapid rate; 
And see Jack's face! 'Tis shining 

With gravy up to his eyes. 
I wonder they take no notice 

When they hear my hungry cries. 
Oh, dear! there's dessert to follow, 

The pudding and pumpkin pies, 
And the fruit and nuts and candy, 

And, oh, how fast time flies! 
Ah, there's gentle little Ethel, 

She's so loving and so kind, 
She's bringing me some turkey bones, 

And a grateful cat she'll find. 

— L. F. Armitage. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 183 

THE ORPHAN TURKEYS. 

(A true story.) 

Twenty-two little turkeys 

Were hatched "by two hens, 
And, one by one, some of them 

Came to bad ends; 

Till only six turkeys 

Were shivering with cold. 
The old hens had weaned them 

When scarce a month old. 

And, now, when the rain comes, 

Oh, where can they go — 
Each disconsolate turkey, 

The picture of woe? 

It was time for a venture, 

So the poor little things 
Crept up for a shelter 

'Neath the old rooster's wings. 

That old Brahma rooster 

Didn't say, "What a fix!" 
But, with his broad wings, 

He sheltered all six. 



184 TOTON. 

And not only then, 

But the next rainy day, 
He sheltered them all 

In the same friendly way. 

The farmer's wife saw it, 

And said, "I declare, 
Kind-hearted old fellow! 

Your life I will spare. 

"I fully intended 

To take off your head; 
But those two old hens 
Shall lose theirs instead." 

My dear little children, 

You always will find, 
With folks or with fowls, 

It pays to he kind. 
— Mrs. H. E. Jenkins, in "Our Little Ones, and the Nursery." 



LITTLE NUT PEOPLE. 

(Have each pupil reciting hold in his hand the nut about which 
he speaks. He should hold it up to view as he recites.) 

(Chestnut:) 

Old Mistress Chestnut once lived in a burr 
Padded and lined with the softest of fur. 
Jack Frost split it wide, with his keen silver knife, 
And tumbled her out at the risk of her life. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 185 

(Almond :) 

Here is Don Almond, a grandee from Spain, 
Some raisins from Malaga came in his train. 
He has a twin brother a shade or two leaner; 
When both come together, we shout, "Philopena!" 

(Walnut:) 

Here is Sir Walnut; he's English, you know, 
A friend of my Lady and Lord So-and-So. 
Whenever you ask old Sir Walnut to dinner, 
Be sure to make much of the gouty old sinner. 

(Peanut:) 

Little Miss Peanut, from North Carolina, 
She's not 'ristocratic, but no nut is finer. 
Sometimes she is roasted and burnt to a cinder; 
In Georgia they call her Miss Goober or Pindar. 

(Hazelnut:) 

Little Miss Hazelnut ; in her best bonnet, 

Is lovely enough to be put in a sonnet; 

And young Mr. Filbert has journeyed from Kent, 

To ask her to marry him soon after Lent. 

(Hickory:) 

There is old Hickory; look at him well. 
A general was named for him, so I've heard tell. 
Take care how you hit him! He sometimes hits back! 
This stolid old chap is a hard nut to crack. 

(Butternut:) 

Old Mr. Butternut, just from Brazil, 

Is rugged and rough as the side of a hill; 

But, like many a countenance quite as ill-favored, 

His covers a kernel deliriously flavored . 



186 TOYON. 

(Pecan:) 

Here is a southerner, graceful and slim, 

In flavor no nut is quite equal to him. 

Ha, Monsieur Pecan, you know what it means 

To he served with black coffee in French New Orleans. 

(All:) 

And, now, dear schoolmates, I'm sure we have told 
All the queer rhymes that a nutshell can hold. 

— Selected. 

THE LITTLE PILGRIM MAID. 

(Eecitations, with motions.) 

There was a little pilgrim maid, 

Who used to sit up so; (1) 
I wonder if she ever laughed 

Two hundred years ago. 

She wore such funny little mitts, (2) 

And dainty cap of silk. (3) 
She had a little porringer 

For her brown bread and milk. 

She was so good — so very good — 

Ah, me, I most despair; (4) 
She never tore her Sabbath dress (5) 

A-sliding down the stair. 

But, then, I really try, and try 

To do the best I can; (6) 
PVaps I (7) can be almost as good 

As little Puritan. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 187 

And if, when next Thanksgiving comes, 

I try to sit up so, (8) 
Maybe I'll seem from Pilgrim land 

Two hundred years ago. 



(Motions: (1) Hands folded in a prim manner, body erect; (2) hands 
held up to show mitts ; (3) point to cap ; (4) gesture of despair ; (5) 
dress held out at sides; (6) hands folded; (7) point to self; (8) prim 
position, same as (1).) 

— Primary Education. 



ELSIE'S THANKSGIVING. 
(Recitation for a little girl holding doll.) 

Dolly, it's almost Thanksgiving. Do you know what I mean, 

my dear? 
No? Well, I couldn't expect it; you haven't been with us a 

year. 
And you came with my auntie from Paris, far over the wide 

blue sea; 
And you'll keep your first Thanksgiving, my beautiful dolly, 

with me. 
I'll tell you about it, my darling; for grandma's explained it all, 
So that I understand why Thanksgiving always comes late in 

the fall, 
When the nuts and the apples are gathered, and the work in 

the fields is done, 
And the fields, all reaped and silent, are asleep in the autumn 

sun. 



188 TOTON. 

It is then that we praise our Father, who sends the rain and 
the dew, 

Whose wonderful loving-kindness is every morning new. 

Unless we'd he heathen, dolly, or worse, we must sing and pray, 

And think ahout good things, dolly, when we keep Thanks- 
giving Day. 

But I like it very much better when from church we all go 
home, 

And the married brothers and sisters, and the troops of cous- 
ins come, 

And we're ever so long at the table, and dance and shout and 
play, 

In the merry evening, dolly, that ends Thanksgiving Day. 

— Margaret E. Sangster. ("Primary Education.") 



A MOTHER GOOSE ENTERTAINMENT. 

(As a portion of a school entertainment, the following sketch 
of Mother Goose was recited by a little girl, and the tableaux 
of Jack Horner, Boy Blue, Miss Muffet, Little Bo Peep, and 
the "Bachelor who lived by himself," were given. Jack Hor- 
ner's pie had a crust of manila paper over a huge dish, and the 
plum was a big prune. Boy Blue's haystack consisted of an 
armful of hay covering an overturned chair. In the first scene 
he was fast asleep; in the second, he was standing up, blowing 
his horn. Miss Muffet's spider, suspended by a thread, was 
yellow, and large enough for anybody to see. The "Bachelor" 
required four scenes: First, he was sitting by the shelf of 
bread and cheese, darning a stocking; second, he was on his way 






HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 189 

to London, with all his worldly possessions tied up in a hand- 
kerchief, slung on a stick over his shoulder; third, he had the 
little wife in a wheelbarrow; fourth, the wheelbarrow was up- 
set, and the husband and wife both looked very much surprised. 
Before each tableau the rhyme illustrated was recited by a lit- 
tle boy or girl.) 

In the days of the Pilgrim mothers, 

When children's books were few, 
A kind and loving grandma 

Sang ditties, old and new. 

She sang them over and over, 
While the children laughed with glee, 

And all the babies who heard them 
Were happy as they could be. 

The father of one of the babies, 

Whose cheeks with laughter shook, 
Wrote down the rhymes as he heard them, 

And made them into a book. 

Thousands and thousands of copies 
Have been printed and sold since then, 

And, as fast as the babies keep coming, 
They're printed and sold again. 

The face of the quaint old singer 

Was painted long years ago; 
In the Old South Church, in Boston, 

Her portrait is hanging, you know. 



190 TOYON. 

The name of this grandma so jolly 

"Was Madam Elizabeth Goose; 
And, like other famous women, 

She has had her share of abuse. 

Folks say that her rhymes are silly, 

That they do not teach the truth, 
And that nothing so full of nonsense 

Should be taught to the modern youth; 

For this is an age of science, 

And fairies have had their day; 
But facts are often tiresome, 

And workers must sometimes play. 

Then give to the older children 
Golden thoughts and gems for use, 

But let the babies have the rhymes 
Of dear old Mother Goose. 

—Elizabeth Lloyd, in "The Primary School." 



THE TEN LITTLE INDIANS. 

(To be most effective this play should be presented by boys 
under ten years of age. At the close of each speech Indian 
songs may be sung by one or all of the ten little Indians.) 

Curtains and stage effects are not necessary. The school- 
room may be decorated with Indian relics. Class collections of 
Indian pictures and specimens of children's daily work in clay, 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 191 

sand, weaving, drawing, story-writing, etc., may be on exhibi- 
tion. 

The "Ten Little Indians," in costume, march, to the sound 
of the piano or other music, from a side room to the rear of 
the platform, where they arrange themselves in a line. Each 
then steps forward, makes his speech, and returns to place. 
When they have finished, all march out to the sound of music.) 

Costume of Massasoit: Blouse, kilt, and leggins made of yel- 
low felt, decorated with beads; belt and moccasins, made of 
buckskin; wig, made of long, coarse, black hair parted in the 
middle; cap of turkey feathers; burnt umber, used to give the 
dark, swarthy complexion needed. 

Costume of Natches Winnemucca: Red hunting suit, open 
at neck; beaded belt, beaded powder pouch, red and yellow 
blanket, an old gun, chains and bracelet, braided wig, decorated 
with shells and feathers; red and brown "grease paint" used for 
greasing the face. 

Costume of Powhatan: Moccasins and tan stockings, red 
apron, extending from the neck to the knees; colored blanket, 
draped over the body, leaving the red apron showning in front; 
head-dress, red band and feathers; face darkened with burnt 
umber. 

Costume of Sitting Bull: Tan cloth jacket, trimmed with 
beads and feathers, extending to the knees; tan leggins, fringed 
with brown; very large and conspicuous head-dress, with row of 
feathers extending almost to the middle of back; war paint; 
tomahawk. 

Costume of Pontiac: Eed shirt, open at the neck; buff leg- 
gins, fringed with red; red and black blanket, braided wig, war 
bonnet, made of feathers; pipe of peace, many strings of beads; 
brown umber for face. 



192 TOYON. 

Costume of Black Hawk: Brown felt hunting suit, buckskin 
belt and moccasins, red and black blanket, large head-dress of 
turkey feathers; wampum, bow and arrows. 

Costume of Tecumseh: Tan felt suit, trimmed in feathers; 
buckskin moccasins, large brown blanket, draped at side; head- 
dress of turkey feathers, quiver filled with arrows, wampum; 
umber for face. 

Costume of Philip: Brown, tight-fitting suit, red blanket, 
moccasins, wig, parted in middle; gun, hatchet, war-paint. 

Carlos Montezuma: Street suit, long overcoat, broad hat, 
gloves; wig of short hair, parted on the side; physician's medi- 
cine case. 

Costume of Hiawatha: Brown sweater, tan skirt fringed with 
brown, beaded belt, tan leggins; wig, long, loose hair; head- 
dress, band with feathers in front; strings of wampum wound 
around the neck, bow and quiver of arrows. 



(Massasoit:) 

"Welcome, Englishmen! Welcome, Englishmen!" I was the 
first Indian chief to send this message to the palefaces, who 
called themselves the Plymouth Colony. My name is Massa- 
soit. The great King Philip was once my little pappoose. 

My tribe, the Wanpanoags, call me the "Great Commander of 
the Country." I like the palefaces. I smoked the pipe of 
peace with them when they first came to America. I was al- 
ways their friend. When I went to the "Happy Hunting 
Ground" they named the great spring in Khode Island "Massa- 
soit." Palefaces, I thank you! 

— Elvira Johnson. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 193 

(batches Winnemucca:) 

I am the good chief, Natches Winnenmcca. My people are 
the Piutes, and we live in Nevada. 

Once, long ago, the Bannocks, and some other fierce Indians, 
made war against the white people. I would not join them, so 
they took me and my sons captive. The brave Sarah Winne- 
mucca rescued us. 

After the war was over, Sarah wrote a book telling about it. 
If you read her book, you will learn more about Natches and 
his people. 

I am an old chief now; I can no longer hunt and dance. I 
sit by the fire and watch the young braves dance, and listen 
to their songs. — Alma Plumb. 



(Powhatan:) 

Greetings, palefaces! greetings, chiefs! I come from the for- 
ests of Virginia, and my name is Powhatan. I am ruler over a 
mighty tribe. 

Once all the lands, far and near, was our hunting ground, 
and no other tribe dared cross our path. Then we lived hap- 
pily; but the white man came, and since then we have had no 
peace. The guns of the white man shoot far, but the Indian 
knows how to lie in wait in a dark thicket and surprise the 
enemy. He can also surprise the wild animals of the forest. 
He often creeps near the timid deer, but so quietly that it does 
not suspect his presence until, too late, it hears the whirr of 
the fatal arrow. 

You have all heard of my daughter Pocahontas. She is a 
brave girl and a worthy daughter of the chief. 
13 



194 TOTON. 

Once Captain John Smith was my prisoner, and I meant to 
till him. Pocahontas was his friend, and "begged me to spare 
his life, so I set him free. The palefaces told Pocahontas to 
come to their homes to visit them. She went often. When she 
grew older she married an Englishman named John Eolf. She 
went to England, where King James and all his court admired 
and praised her. They called her "Lady Rebecca." 

— Edith Edwards. 
(Sitting Bull:) 

Behold the dreaded foe of the white man. My name is Sit- 
ting Bull. I lived in the present century, and was chief of the 
powerful Sioux tribe that lived in North Dakota. 

Not many years ago, when some of you were little boys and 
girls going to school, there lived an old chief who preached a 
queer doctrine. He taught that there would be a great up- 
heaval of nations; every paleface would suddenly be swept from 
the face of the earth, and the blood of eighty millions would 
pay for the wrongs done the red men. 

I believed this same doctrine, and preached it to my tribes. 
They became so much excited over this belief that many of 
them were about to cause great trouble and bloodshed. The 
United States sent General Miles and several hundred soldiers 
up there to stop these troubles. One day they captured me, 
and were going to take me away prisoner. My comrades fought 
hard to get me back, and during this terrible battle I and my 
son, and a number of my comrades, were shot and killed. 

— E. E. Hough. 
(Pontiac:) 

I am bold Pontiac, chief of the Ottawas. In 1746 I and my 
children of the forest defended the French at Detroit against 
an attack bv some northern tribes. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 195 

"When I found that the French had heen driven from Canada 
I agreed to the surrender of Detroit and persuaded several 
hundred Indians to give up their design of cutting off the 
English. I felt all the time that the English Eated me and 
my people, so I planned to exterminate them and take Detroit, 
hut my plans were disclosed and the garrison was prepared 
when I arrived. ■ 

Later I surrounded Detroit, but failed to take it. The 
English then planned an attack, but the Canadians told me 
about it, and when the English had advanced near enough, my 
men opened fire upon them. This fight was known as the bat- 
tle of Bloody Bridge. 

Although I failed in my main plot of cutting off the whites, 
yet I captured eight garrisons and desolated some of the most 
fertile valleys on the frontier. The English finally succeeded 
in quieting most of the tribes, so a meeting was held and sev- 
eral of us Indian chiefs concluded a treaty of peace with the 
white men. 

— Louise Grozelier. 
(Black Hawk:) 

Do you see this old man before you ? I am Black Hawk, chief 
of the Sacs and Foxes, Indian tribes of Illinois. 

Many years ago, when Columbus came to America, we owned 
all this great country. When I was a boy I did not live so 
far west, but now white people own the home of my fathers. 

Two centuries ago the smoke of our wigwams and the fires 
of our councils rose in every valley from Hudson's bay to far- 
thest Florida, from the Atlantic ocean to the Mississippi and 
the Great Lakes. The whistle of our arrows and the deadly 
tomahawks startled the wild animals in the forests. But now 
we have few forests. When the white men come they cut down 



196 TOTON. 

the trees. At their approach the deer leaves the forest and 
the opossum and beaver flee. When the forests are cut down 
our springs dry up. 

The whites with their hordes of men drove us from our 
homes. Black Hawk tried to save his nation, but I and my war- 
riors were taken prisoners. We were taken to Washington. I 
talked with President Jackson. I liked him. We were taken 
to Fortress Monroe, Virginia, and to other great cities. The 
whites gave us good counsel. We gave all up to the white men. 

I fought for my village, but it is yours now. I was once a 
great warrior; a few snows ago I was fighting against the whites. 
Perhaps that was wrong — but that is past. I am done. 

— Lena Kelley. 
(Tecumseh:) 

Behold Tecumseh, chief of the Shawnee Indians! My brother 
was a prophet. Nearly a hundred years ago, when your grand- 
fathers were little boys, my brother and I tried to gather all 
the tribes of the west into one large army to drive the white 
people out of our land. 

But one day, while I was away, one of your great generals 
marched his army into the city and defeated all the Indians. 

A few year later, when war broke out between America and 
England, I and my men helped the English. We went up 
north into Canada and joined their army. I was made a briga- 
dier-general and commanded large numbers of soldiers; but one 
day in the terrible battle of the Thames I was shot and killed. 

— F. T. Bailey. 
(King Philip :) 

Before you stands the great King Philip. I am not a friend 
to the whites as my father, Massasoit, was. My name was 
given to me by the white men, and I am proud of it. 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 197 

We sold all our lands to the white men for these blankets, 
hatchets, and guns; but now we want more. They have made 
cornfields of our hunting grounds. What are we to live on? 
We have no place to hunt deer. 

My home was on yonder Mount Hope. From my wigwam I 
could overlook all the country and rule my tribe. Now I have 
been driven from there, my cattle have been taken and my corn 
burned. I must have revenge; we shall go to war with these 
palefaces. Philip is a big Indian. He can regain his lost hunt- 
ing ground. 

Alas, for King Philip! Other Indians joined the palefaces 
and his brave tribes were crushed. 

— Elena Broderick. 
(Carlos Montezuma:) 

I am an Apache Indian, and my name is Carlos Montezuma. 
When I was four years old the Pima Indians sold me to a white 
man for thirty dollars. 

For many years my home was in Chicago. I clerked in a 
drugstore in that city for several years. I then went to the 
University of Chicago, and obtained a medical diploma. 

I have acted as physician on several of the agencies; was head 
physician at Carlisle, and am now in business for myself in 
Chicago. 

— Edna Hyde. 
(Hiawatha:) 

I am Hiawatha. Longfellow has written a beautiful poem 
about me. My grandmother was old Nikomis. She rocked 
me to sleep in a linden cradle, and this is the song she sang 
to me: 



198 TOYON. 

"E-wa-yea! my little ow-let, 
Who is this that lights the wigwam, 
With his great eyes lights the wigwam? 
E-wa-yea! my little ow-let." 

(The music of this song can be found in the collection by Elizabeth 
U. Emerson and Kate L. Brown, published by Oliver Ditson Company. 

When they can be obtained, Indian songs may be sung by each or 
all of the Ten Little Indians at the close of each speech. In some of 
the old readers there are the speeches of Red Jacket, Gehale, and 
other chiefs. These, recited in costume, add much to the interest of 
an Indian entertainment. The recitation, " Hiawatha's Childhood," 
with tableaux, is also a pleasing and instructive feature.) 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 



SONGS 



"Merry Christmas Has Come," "Christmas "Waltz 
Song/' "Christmas Carol," "Christmas Song," "Carol" 
("Christmas Chimes"), in "Kindergarten Chimes." Boards, $1.25 

"0, Clap, Clap the Hands," in "Finger Plays," by Emf- 
lie Poulsson. 

"Jolly Old Saint Nicholas," in "Songs, Games and 
Ehymes " Paper, $1.25 

"Christmas is Coming," "Christmas Greeting," "Hark ! 
the Bells Are Kinging," "Dear Santa, Now Appear," in 
"Merry Songs and Games" (Clara Beeson Hubbard). 

Excellent Thanksgiving and Christmas Songs in 
"Songs and Games for Little Ones," by Gertrude Walker 
and Harriet Jenks. 

"The Song Series" (Sacred Songs for Children), by Eu- 
dora Lucas Hailmann. 

"Waken, Little Children," and Christmas Hymn, in 
"Songs for Little Children," by Eleanor Smith. 

"Blessings on Effort," "Thanksgiving Song," "Christ- 
mas Lullaby," "Christmas Night," "Christmas Star," 
"Presentation Song," "The Song of Christ," in "Song 
Stories for the Kindergarten." by Mildred J. and Patty 
S. Hill $1.00 



200 TOYON. 

"Columbia," a National Anthem (for Thanksgiving), 
founded on the History of America 12 

"Our King Emmanuel/' a Service of Scripture and 
Song for Christmas for the Church, by Emma Pitt 95 

"The Morning Star" (for the Church), a short Christ- 
mas Cantata of Service, by Asa Hull 05 

"Harvest Home," "Christmas-tide," in "Songs for 
Children." 10 

"The Child's American Hymn," by G. "W. Chadwick, 
in "Children's Souvenir Song Book" (advanced collec- 
tion of beautiful songs). 

"Hail, Old Father Christmas," in "Christmas Carols" 
(contains twelve excellent songs). 

"Christmas Eve," in "Child's Garden of Song." $2.00 

"Chinese Narcissus" (a song for Chinese New Year), 
"Christmas Day," "New Year's Day," "Thanksgiving 
Day," in "The Cocoa Palm," by Mary Dillingham Frear. 

For information in regard to songs for children, write to Mrs. 
Juliet-Powell Rice, Santa Barbara, Cal., or Prof. Milton A. 
Lawrence, College Park, Santa Clara county, California. 

'Thanksgiving Song," "Christmas Song," "Santa 
Claus," in "Simple Songs for Little Singers," by Anna 
B.Tucker..., 50 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 201 



ENTERTAINMENTS. 

"Christmas-tide" (A Tiny Operetta for the Little 
Ones.) Primary Education Supplement, Nov. '98. 

"A Christmas Festival Service/' by Nora A. Smith.. . .25 

"Christmas Cantatas." 

"At the Court of King Winter," "Christmas Stars" 
"A Visit from Mother Goose," each 15 

Christmas Suggestions 10 

"A Thanksgiving Exercise," "A Xmas Exercise," "The 
Children's Telegram," "The Christmas Sheaf," "Thanks- 
giving in Ye Olden Time," "Sufferings and Destiny of 
the Pilgrims" (Edward Everett), in "Children's Speaker," 
by John Wesley Hanson, Jr 75 

"Christ and the Little Ones," "The Christmas Baby" 
(Will Carleton)— "The Peerless Speaker." *. . . .70 

"Bud's Christmas Stocking," "Landing of the Pilgrim 
Fathers" (Felicia Hemans), "Thanksgiving," "Little 
Nellie's Visit from Santa Claus" — Prescott's "Drawing- 
room Recitations." 

"The Mistletoe Bough" (Illustrated), "A Christmas 
Exercise," "A Thanksgiving Exercise" (excellent) — 
"The International Orator," by John Wesley Hanson, Jr. . 75 

"Christmas Candles" "Popular Educator," Dec, 1897 

"Drill of Seasons" "Popular Educator," Nov., 1895 



202 TOTON. 

"Christmas Exercises" "Popular Educator," Dec, 1895 

"The Popcorn Dance" "Popular Educator," Nov., 1895 

"Mother Goose Entertainment" . . "Primary School," Dec, 1895 

"Christmas Program" "Primary School," Dec, 1895 

"How to Celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas in 

the Schoolroom." 25 

"Recitations for Christmas," by Margaret Holmes 25 

"Dialogues for Christmas." 25 

"Drills and Marches." 25 

"Tableaux, Charades and Pantomimes." 30 

"Easy Eentertainments." 25 

Blackboard Stencils ("Xmas Stocking" and "Kriss 

Kringle") 05 

Pritchard's Choice Dialogues 20 

"Tables Turned; or A Christmas for Santa Claus.". . . .30 

"The Eevolt of the Toys." 20 

"Jingle Bells." 30 

"Good Tidings; or, The Sailor-Boys' Christmas." 25 

"The Day After Christmas" (for two boys and one 
girl), in "The Teachers' Institute" (Nov., 1893). 

"Holiday Selections," by Sarah S. Rice 30 

"Holiday Entertainments," by Chas. C. Shoemaker.. .30 
"Drills and Marches," by E. C. and L. J. Rook 25 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 

ENTERTAINMENTS. 

"Christmas Eve" (a Pantomime), "A New Year's Ad- 
dress" (Edward Brooks), "Christmas-tide" (three scenes), 
"Cinderella's Slipper," "To a Christmas Pudding," in 
"Best Things from Best Authors," hy J. W. Shoemaker. 

"Epiphany" (Bishop Heber), in "Open Sesame," Vol. I. 

"November" (Thomas Hood), "The Christmas Goose 
at the Cratchits' " (Charles Dickens), "A Christmas 
Hymn" (Alfred Dommett), "Christmas Carol" (from the 
Neapolitan), "Christmas Day" (Charles Wesley), in 
"Open Sesame," Vol. II. 

"The Christmas Silence" (Margaret Deland), "Merry 
Christmas" (Selected), "The Little Pine-Tree" (from 
the German, Eudora S. Bumstead), in "Nature in Verse," 
compiled by Mary I. Lovejoy. 

"Good Tidings" (From Saint Luke), "While Shep- 
herds Watched Their Flocks by Night" (Nehum Tate), 
"Christmas Carol" (Old English), "Christmas Bells" 
(John Keble), "Christmas" (Anonymous), "A Desire" 
(Adelaide Proctor), "Christmas Carol" (Felicia Hemans), 
"A Christmas Carol" (Dinah Maria Mulock), "A Christ- 
mas Carol" (Christina G. Kossetti), "The Christmas 
Holly" (Eliza Cook), "Old Christmas" (Mary Howitt), 
"To the Fir-Tree," "New Year's Eve" (Hans Christian 
Andersen), "Thanksgiving Day" (Henry Alford), in 
"Open Sesame," Vol. I. 



2)4 TOYON. 

"The Few Christmas" (a one-act drama for three boys 
and two girls), "The First Christmas Night" (short reci- 
tation), "Old Santa Has Struck" (for a girl), "Kecita- 
tions from the Bible," "The Ten Commandments," in 
"From Tots to Teens" (January, 1897). 

"A Christmas Dialogue" (for one girl and one boy), in 
"Young Folks' Dialogues," by Chas. C. Shoemaker 25 

"Thanksgiving" (Charles Follen Adams), in De Witt's 
"School Speaker." 

"Drills and Marches," "Visit of Santa Claus" (for ten 
boys and eight girls), in "Very Little Dialogues for Very 
Little Folks;" "Way to Spend Christmas" (three boys 
and six girls), in Dick's "Little Dialogues;" "Christmas 
Gifts" (for four little girls), in "School Dialogues" (No. 
1, Primary). 

RECITATIONS IN " 100 CHOICE SELECTIONS." 

"The Closing Year" (No. 1). 

"Will the New Year Come To-night, Mamma?" (No. 2). 

"The Changed Cross" (No. 3). 

"A Thanksgiving Sermon" (No. 4). 

"Christmas Eve" (No. 9). 

"The Pilgrims and the Peas" (No. 11). 

"The Puritans" (No. 14). 

"Little Eocket's Christmas" (No. 15). 

"A Christmas Chant" (No. 16). 



HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 205 

"Christmas Night in the Quarters" (No. 16). 

"The Christmas Tree" (No. 16). 

"The Night After Christmas" (No. 16). 

"The Night Before Christmas" (No. 16). 

"A Christmas Hymn" (No. 17). 

"The Christian's Life" (No. 18). 

"The Orphan's Prayer" (No. 19). 

"The Christmas Chimes" (No. 20). 

"Give Thanks fer What?" (No. 21). 

"The Christmas Bahy" (No. 22). 

"Miltiades Gets tie Best of Santa Claus" (No. 23). 

"Christ and the Little Ones" (No. 24). 

"Consider the Lilies" (No. 24). 

"The Lord's Prayer Illustrated" (No. 24). 

"The Heart's Charity" (No. 24). 

"A Christmas Blessing" (No. 25). 

RECITATIONS FOR OLDER PUPILS AND STUDENTS. 

Selections from "Ben Hur." 

Extracts from Bishop's Simpson's Great "Christmas Sermon." 

"Caleb's Courtship" (Thanksgiving Morning). (100 Choice 

Selections.) 
Extracts from Bobert Ingersoll's "Christmas Sermon." 
"Little John's Christmas" (Whitcomb Eiley). 
"Ebenezer's Dream" (100 Choice Selections). 
"Festive Days," 



206 TOYON. 

A Thanksgiving Speech, 

A Thanksgiving Address, 

An Exercise Around the Christmas Tree, 

A Thanksgiving Song, in "Three-Minute Declamations for 

College Men." $1.00 

"The Minuet," 

"The Puritans," 

"A Christmas Camp on the San Gabr'el," in "Three Minute 
Readings for College Girls." 

"The Landing of the Pilgrim Fathers," in "American History- 
Stories" (Vol. I). 

STORIES. 

"The Story Hour," Kate Douglas Wiggin $1.00 

"In the Child's World," Emilie Poulsson 2 . 00 

"Kindergarten Stories and Morning Talks," Sarah E. 

Wiltse 75 

"St. Nicholas" (Nov. and Dec. numbers, also March, '95). 

"Wide Awake." 

"Babyland." 

"Youth's Companion." 

"Old Father Christmas" (Mrs. Ewing). 

"A Santa Claus Story," "Child Stories and Ehymes," by 

Emilie Poulsson $1 . 40 

"The Bird's Christmas Carol," Kate Douglas Wiggin. 
"Puritans and Pilgrims," in "American History Stories" 

(Vol. I). 






HOLIDAY RECITATIONS. 207 

"Christmas Eve" 5c. Classics 

"Story of the Pilgrims" 5c. Classics 

"Stories of Colonial Children," by Mara L. Pratt, 

Boards, 40c; Cloth, 60c. 

"Evergreens" (Christmas) in "All the Year Pound (Winter). 

For songs, poems, stories, pictures, and suggestions, see 
November and December numbers of "The Plan Book." 

SUGGESTIONS FOR CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS. 

Send two-cent stamp for catalogue to the Perry Picture Com- 
pany, Maiden, Mass. 

Christmas Stencils. 

Stencils for Blackboards (200 or more designs, each 5c). 

For pictures, see November and December numbers of "Baby- 
land," "Wide Awake," "Saint Nicholas," "Youth's Companion," 
and "Ladies' Home Journal." 

See also Emilie Poulsson's "Finger-plays," and "The Child's 
Garden of Song." 

Have pupils copy short Christmas poems and prose selections, 
also proverbs and appropriate verses from the Bible. 



MANUAL TRAINING. 

Have pupils string seeds gathered during the fall. 
Box covers, picture frames, et cetera, may be decorated with 
designs of shells or seeds. 



208 TOYON. 

Have pupils paint and draw from the object, toyon, holly, 
mistletoe, pepper, yerba buena, etc. 3 

Teach children to make and decorate in water colors, picture 
frames, book covers, pen wipers, book markers, glove and hand- 
kerchief boxes, blotters, calendars, etc. 

Fold Christmas stars, using yellow, gold, or silver paper. 

"Weave mats, book markers, fans, baskets, glove, collar and 
handkerchief boxes, etc. 

Teach freehand weaving, using strips of paper, ribbon, straw, 
twine, thread, bamboo, willow, etc. 

Teach pupils to model paper weights and other articles in 
clay and wax. 

Teach girls to outline on cardboard, doilies, etc.; make nee- 
dle-books, pin-balls, pen wipers, canvas mats (ornamented with 
criss-cross stitch), work bags (outlining initial letter), pin flats, 
paper dolls (dressed for historic effect), holders, splashers, um- 
brella cases, cane cases, hair receivers, "ladies' companions," 
"bachelor comforts," linen or denim pillows; embroider linen 
picture frames, book covers, etc.; dress dolls, and make com- 
plete dolls' outfits; articles of clothing for poor children, etc. 

Teach boys to make useful household articles; also, toy 
wagons, wheelbarrows, dolls' houses, etc. 

For slojd books and slojd material, send to the publishers 
of this book. Send for Larsson's Working Drawings in Slojd." 

NOTE. 

All of the entertainment, recitation, dialogue, and other 
books, blackboard stencils, songs, aids, material, etc., men- 
tioned in this book can be obtained from 

The Whitaker & Ray Company, 

723 Market St., San Francisco, Cal. 
Complete descriptwe price lists, circulars, etc., will be sent on application. 



